By Tamara Latta
Sports Writer
With the season coming to an end for the Clippers, with only 13 games left, they still have time to find their identity. This is a very young and talented team that has the potential to be very special in the years to come. Despite being in a very tough division, they can become a very intense team in the future.
Blake Griffin is already an all-star at the age of 21. Eric Gordon and De Andre Jordan are future rising stars. The Clippers were only a 29-win team last year. With so much progression since then, they will now have a chance to win 40 games this season. Finding consistency and stability will set the tone moving forward.
The Clippers got their biggest road win of the season unbuilding the Boston Celtics last week 108-103. The key to success was ball movement. Griffin didn’t produce a lot as he shot 4/12 from the field, finishing with 12 points. But his teammate Jordan stepped up and showed maturity— he scored 21 points for the Clippers. They were able to come into Boston and beat a veteran team who holds the number-one spot in the Eastern Conference.
After a long East Coast road trip, the Clippers returned home Wednesday night to face Philadelphia. The Clippers have been a superb team at home since January, winning 11 out of 13 games at the Staples Center. But Philadelphia had too much ammunition for Griffin and his teammates, as they routed the Clippers 104-94. Griffin just couldn’t find his rhythm shooting 3/14 from the field. Randy Foye led the roster with 18 points and Jordan added 16 points and 15 rebounds.
This was a physical and intense game from start to finish. Philadelphia Coach Doug Collins was ejected and sent to the locker room after picking up two quick technical fouls for nagging at the referees. Tony Battie was giving a flagrant foul one, for manhandling Blake Griffin. They were not kind to Griffin and didn’t allow him to make any Sports Center highlights Wednesday night— his 22nd birthday. It was a very frustrating night for him, as he looked very livid about the hard foul. He had to be restrained by his teammate Randy Foye after the foul.
Former Clippers player Elton Brand, who played for the Clippers for six seasons, was jolly as his team had total control in the fourth quarter. The Clippers have now lost their 43rd game of the season. They will look to be rejuvenated on Saturday, when they host Baron Davis and the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Staples Center.
