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The Donald Sterling Rule: All Bad Deeds Go Unpunished

Jon Weinbach — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling lives by his own rules. And the only one that matters, apparently, is this: all bad deeds go unpunished.

Over the last six years, nearly two dozen L.A. residents have sued Sterling for engaging in racist housing practices and Jim Crow-style bigotry. In a 2003 deposition, the 76-year-old real estate mogul admitted to paying a former employee to have sex with him in an elevator. Three years ago, the U.S. government charged him with "willful" mistreatment of African-American and Latino tenants, and earlier this month, he agreed to pay the Dept. of Justice nearly $3 million to settle a federal racial-discrimination housing lawsuit, the largest award ever for a case of its kind.

Since 2003, he has committed to give more than $8 million to plaintiffs to end housing-discrimination cases before they went to trial. To top it off, Sterling is currently being sued by Elgin Baylor, the Clippers' long-time general manager and an NBA Hall of Famer, for age and race discrimination.

Through it all, he's emerged remarkably unscathed. The NBA, which punishes players and team executives for criticizing referees and skipping press conferences, has never fined, suspended or even issued a statement about Sterling. NBA commissioner David Stern, who in the past has reprimanded players for their rap albums and wardrobes, refuses to comment on Sterling, as does the NBA Players Association.

"If you're a black athlete, how can you play for this guy? ... It's on the stars and the players' association to say something about this -- the owners will always protect one of their own."
- Oscar Robertson,
NBA Hall of Famer NBA legend Oscar Robertson, who was president of the league's players union during his career, is appalled by the lack of outrage. "If you're a black athlete, how can you play for this guy?" said Robertson, referring to Sterling. "It's on the stars and the players' association to say something about this - the owners will always protect one of their own," added Robertson, who now runs chemical and facilities management companies in Cincinnati.

Sports commissioners like Stern have broad authority to punish any act that is deemed to "not in the best interests of the league," but how they use that power varies widely from sport to sport and case by case, according to sports-law attorneys and former league officials.

"If enough people are outraged or say they're bothered by something an owner does, then the league will impose something," says former Major League Baseball commissioner Fay Vincent. "There's no clear set of guidelines, and it's a very difficult, murky area."

Several current and former NBA executives, including oft-quoted Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, declined to speak on the record with FanHouse about Sterling. Clippers' sponsors such as the Los Angeles Daily News, Bank of America and Jetblue Airways did not return phone calls or declined to comment. Likewise, minority-group leaders such as Rev. Al Sharpton, who earlier this month demanded that conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh be banned from a prospective NFL ownership group, have said nothing about Sterling's fitness to own an NBA club.

"The silence on this is astounding," says Dr. Todd Boyd, a University of Southern California film school professor who's written extensively on race and popular culture. Sterling, he says, "may not be guilty according to the rule of law, but neither was O.J." There's been relatively little outcry, according to Dr. Boyd, because of the public's ignorance regarding housing laws, media indifference about the Clippers, and perhaps most importantly, Sterling's ability to fork over huge settlements. "You don't pay that kind of money if your hands are clean," he says.

The saga sheds light on the uniquely slippery image of Sterling, who frequently buys ads in the Los Angeles Times to announce his philanthropic and civic awards. His recent foibles have not generated tabloid buzz or provoked much righteous indignation, even in an era when athletes, celebrities and politicians are chewed up for the smallest gaffes.

Last week, for example, Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams lifted his middle finger after a game -- and was immediately fined $250,000 by the NFL. In September, U.S. soccer star Jozy Altidore was docked pay for posting Twitter comments about his British team, and this past weekend, the Clippers' own TV announcers were suspended by a cable-TV network for mispronouncing the word "Iranian" on the air. (Sterling says the organization convinced Fox Sports West to reduce the suspension from four games to one.)

For his part, Sterling -- who was born Donald Tokowitz and began his career as a personal-injury attorney -- has shown little remorse about the sex scandal or the real estate lawsuits. "I don't think [the racism charges] hurt me at all," he told the L.A. Times this week. "The reason it was settled was because [the government] didn't have one person to stand up and say I discriminated against them. If they had the one person, I'm high profile and they would've liked to have gone at it."

Alejandro Miyar, a spokesman for the Dept. of Justice's Civil Rights Division in Washington, said several tenants filed complaints and testified on the record about mistreatment of African-American residents at Sterling's buildings. "I'm not sure what he's referring to," says Miyar, who noted that a "good portion" of $2.725 million settlement is earmarked for tenants who can come forward and make claims for discrimination. "This was a record award, and we're happy with the outcome."

Sterling's attorneys point out that the settlements do not represent an admission of guilt. They also note that the payments were made in part to satisfy Sterling's insurance companies, which feared long and expensive trials. In a statement earlier this month about the federal housing lawsuit, Sterling's attorney Robert Platt said "the cost of continued litigation far exceeded the cost of settlement."

At least one organization, Tenants Together, a renters-rights group based in San Francisco, is trying to keep Sterling's problems in the public eye. It is circulating a petition calling on the NBA to discipline the Clippers owner, and created a web site devoted to the issue - www.nbashowyoucare.org. It has also posted a video on YouTube that contrasts the league's "NBA Cares" public-service initiative with excerpts of the court filings from the federal lawsuit brought against Sterling. (The video has been viewed about 1,700 times since its debut on Nov. 10.) "The NBA is missing out on an opportunity to condemn housing discrimination," says Gabe Treves, the organization's program coordinator. "It's unacceptable."

Aside from his off-court problems, Sterling has been an undeniable failure as an owner. Since 1981, when Sterling purchased the Clippers, the franchise has lost more games than any other NBA team. During his reign, the Clippers have made the playoffs just four times, employed 15 head coaches, had the NBA's worst home attendance in 10 different seasons, and become synonymous with losing and mismanagement.

In recent years, leagues have trumpeted new rules and stiffer penalties for misbehavior by players, but the code is less clear -- and the penalties less consistent -- for owners or team executives who generate unflattering attention.

In 1992, Major League Baseball's executive council -- the league had no commissioner at the time -- suspended former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott for her controversial comments about African-Americans and Nazi leader Adolph Hitler, and in 1970, former MLB commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended George Steinbrenner for two years after the New York Yankees owner was convicted of making illegal contributions to President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign.

The NBA, meanwhile, did nothing after New York Knicks general manager Isiah Thomas and the Knicks organization were found guilty in a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a former employee. In contrast, the league suspended All-Star forward Chris Webber in 2003 for lying to a grand jury about accepting illegal payments from a University of Michigan booster.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has not hesitated to discipline off-field misbehavior, even in cases where there's been no public admission of guilt. Two years ago, he fined the New England Patriots $250,000 and stripped the team of a first-round draft pick as punishment for the the infamous "Spygate" videotaping scandal, though Patriots coach Bill Belichick -- who was fined $500,000 by the NFL -- has insisted that team executives and owner Robert Kraft had no role. Cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was never convicted or admitted guilt in any of the numerous lawsuits brought against him, but was nonetheless suspended by Goodell for the entire 2007 season because of "repeated violations" of the league's player-conduct policy.

The housing lawsuits against Sterling include a laundry list of jaw-dropping allegations about Sterling's behavior and management practices at several apartment buildings in L.A.'s Koreatown neighborhood. Many of the most embarrassing details have been recounted in previous stories by ESPN the Magazine and LA Weekly, including the testimony of a former Sterling employee who claimed the Clippers owner did not want Mexican tenants and believed African-American renters "smell and attract vermin."

In another deposition, an African-American tenant testified that Rochelle Sterling, the owner's wife, posed as a housing inspector and brought along a cameraman to videotape images of the apartment, according to attorney Gary Rhoades, the former litigation director of the Housing Rights Center, an L.A. advocacy organization which filed the 2003 lawsuits on behalf of 19 tenants. "Why billionaires would be taking the time to do this is beyond me," he says. "It seemed like every week in that case brought a new low."

The financial terms of the settlement regarding the 2003 suits remain confidential, but Sterling was also ordered to pay $5 million to cover plaintiffs' lawyer fees. In her ruling regarding the fees, Judge Dale Fischer sanctioned Sterling for failing to turn over documents and chided his legal team for "scorched earth tactics" that created "large amounts of unnecessary work."

Going forward, it's unlikely that the NBA will censure Sterling about the housing cases, largely because he's never admitted guilt. Even if he did, the NBA typically doesn't punish crimes unless the charges include violent behavior or conduct that compromises the integrity of NBA games, such as gambling. And that means there's likely to be a lot more losing in the future for resigned Clipper die-hards like Steve Perrin. "We assume that every single terrible act attributed to him is true," says Perrin, a 47-year old from Long Beach, CA who runs the Clip Nation blog and has been a fan for nearly 20 years. At this point, supporters of the team "are inured to his sliminess," he says. "He is a terrible, terrible person who happens to own the team we root for -- and there's nothing we can do about it."

The Donald Sterling Rule: All Bad Deeds Go Unpunished originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clippers Broadcast Team Suspended for Comments About Hamed Haddadi

Brett Pollakoff — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:09:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Grizzlies, NBA Media Watch

The Clippers got what was by far their best win of the season on Friday, but unfortunately, the team's longtime play-by-play man Ralph Lawler wasn't in his usual courtside spot to see it.

Lawler and color commentator Michael Smith were suspended for Friday's game, for what the team deemed to be inappropriate remarks the two made during the Clippers' telecast on Wednesday, when the team faced the Memphis Grizzlies.

The comments in question were regarding Hamed Haddadi, who is a rookie and the first Iranian player to appear in the NBA.

FOX Sports Prime Ticket is the network that televises the Clippers' home games, so they're the ones that issued the suspension, and this statement to go along with it:

"We regret the remarks made by Clippers announcers Michael Smith and Ralph Lawler during Wednesday's telecast. While we believe that Michael and Ralph did not intend their exchange to be offensive, the comments were inappropriate. We extend our apologies to Hamed Haddadi of the Memphis Grizzlies and to anyone who was offended. We have addressed the situation with Michael and Ralph and have taken appropriate action."

Now at this point -- besides questioning the size of the audience of a mid-week game between the Clippers and Grizzlies -- you're probably wondering just exactly what the "inappropriate" comments were that caused the suspension. Thankfully, Diane Pucin of the L.A. Times has the transcription of the exchange.

We won't reprint the entire thing here, but suffice it to say that the comments included a repeated and intentional mispronunciation of the word "Iranian," along with a Borat reference, topped off by a "I guess those Iranians can pass the ball" statement that came after Haddadi made a nice play inside.

Lawler and Smith likely meant no harm, and were probably just doing some late-game shtick to try to keep the audience entertained, considering there were under two minutes left when Haddadi checked in and the Clippers were trailing by 17 points at the time. But it's never a good idea to start riffing on another player's ethnic background, so the suspension, while it may seem severe to some, is completely understandable.

Oh, and about the size of that audience? FOX Sports wasn't exactly flooded with letters and phone calls requesting the heads of the announcing team. Apparently, all it took was one complaint from a single viewer to get the network to apologize and hand down the suspension.

Clippers Broadcast Team Suspended for Comments About Hamed Haddadi originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How Low Will the Winless Nets Go?

Chris Tomasson — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Heat, Nets

MILWAUKEE -- As the New Jersey Nets are ringing up losses, Scott Hastings has a vested interest.

Hastings, you see, was on the expansion 1988-89 Miami Heat that set the record for most losses to start an NBA season at 17. So Hastings is hoping the Nets will knock the Heat out of the record book, right?

Try again.

"Absolutely not,'' Hastings said. "We were a bad team. We deserved our record, and I'm disappointed any time anybody gets close. Go Nets.''

Hastings, a big man who somehow lasted in the NBA from 1982-93 while averaging 2.8 points, sees it as a badge of honor to at least be known for something. Then again, he did appear on the Late Show with David Letterman in the early 1990s due to, by his own admission, being one of the worst players in the NBA.

But there's a chance Hastings' Heat could get knocked completely of the record book. Miami was tied by the Los Angeles Clippers' 0-17 start in 1998-99. And the Nets are 0-12 after Tuesday's 99-85 loss at Milwaukee.

Let's just say the Nets would be quite eager to accommodate Hastings and not reach the futility mark.

"You never want to be in the record books on that side. But hopefully we don't get to 0-17. We don't want to let that happen.''
- Rafer Alston,
Nets guard. "You never want to be in the record books on that side,'' said guard Rafer Alston. "But hopefully we don't get to 0-17. We don't want to let that happen.''

Not long ago, it looked as if there was no way was it going to happen. The Nets lost two close games to Philadelphia and fell at Miami last Saturday on a last-second three-pointer by Dwyane Wade. Surely, they would break through this week.

But the Nets are now reeling. They lost 91-83 at home Tuesday to Indiana in a game that wasn't nearly that close and were outscored in the second half 58-37 by the Bucks after somehow taking a 48-41 lead into halftime.

The Nets have been often down to eight players recently due to a wave of injuries. It's really catching up.

"You're going to have doubters,'' said forward Bobby Simmons, perhaps wondering why anybody would doubt this gang that can't shoot straight (40.1 percent for the season). "I hope it doesn't get to 0-17. You just take it one game at a time. We only have eight [players]. We're trying to do the best we can with what we have.''

On Saturday, the Nets have their best chance for a while to break through when they play host to 2-9 New York in the shadow of the Big Apple. Actually, the game should be known as the battle of the Apple Core.

If the Nets don't win that one, it could get quite hideous. They head out on a four-game Western trip.

By then, Hastings really will be sweating.

In losing its first 17 in 1988-89, the Heat usually never came close to winning. Miami lost nine times by 15 or more points, including a 47-point drubbing at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers.

"It got absolutely ugly,'' said Hastings, whose Heat did somehow manage to finish 15-67 and avoid Philadelphia's 1972-73 mark of 9-73 for worst in NBA history. "We were so bad. We didn't have anybody who could play.''

Nevertheless, on Dec. 14, 1988, the Heat finally broke through. With Rory Sparrow, Grant Long and Pat Cummings each scoring 15 points, Miami beat the 89-88 on the road for the first win in team history.

"It was like the seventh game of the playoffs,'' Hastings (pictured right, in 1988-89), who scored four points in six minutes, said of the postgame celebration. "We didn't have champagne. None of us made very much money. So we used Diet Cokes on each other [for dousing].''

Miami was in the record books by itself until the Clippers showed up for the 1998-99 lockout season. They lost their first 17 en route to a 9-41 season, which would translate to about 15-67 for a normal campaign.

The Clippers were similar in the dreadful category, also losing nine of the 17 by 15 or more points. But, behind 18 points from Darrick Martin and 16 from Eric Piatkowski, they broke through on March 11, 1999, by beating Sacramento 106-92 at home.

"I'll never forgive them,'' Hastings said of the Clippers having knocked Miami out of its solo hold in the record.

By that time, Hastings had begun to really like being part of NBA lore for being lousy. In fact, he dubs the Heat the opposite of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who went 17-0 for the greatest single-season mark in NFL history.

"I'm like the Miami Dolphins in reverse,'' Hastings said. "I'm part of NBA history, and I want to remain part of NBA history. I watch those losing streaks like [Nick] Buoniconti and [Bob] Griese and those [Dolphins] watch the winning streaks in the NFL. There's has to do with success, mine with duress.''

Hastings is now a television analyst for Denver, so he can't cheer for the Nets if they're 0-13 and trying to stop the streak next Tuesday at the Pepsi Center. But he'll be pulling for them the rest of the time.

No doubt Lawrence Frank would appreciate that. This is, if Frank remains New Jersey's coach.

"I don't even focus on the 0-17,'' Frank said. "I think for us, we've just got to take it one game at a time.''

If it ends up being one loss at a time for the Nets, they would tie the NBA record Nov. 29 on the road against the Lakers and break it Dec. 2 against Dallas at the Izod Center.

By then, it might be renamed the I-God-awful Center.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson.

How Low Will the Winless Nets Go? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 NBA All-Star Ballot Announced

Chris Tomasson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Clippers, Grizzlies, Lakers, Pistons, Rockets, Suns, Timberwolves, NBA All-Star Game

I wrote in September that perhaps there would be no worthy center to start for the West in the All-Star Game.

But this isn't the way I want to see that solved. Do it on the court, not with the ballot.

When the All-Star ballot came out Tuesday, Phoenix power forward Amar'e Stoudemire strangely was listed as a center. Yes, Stoudemire has played center before, but he's started all eight games for Suns this season at power forward, with Channing Frye being the starting center.

It is true the ballot, which was selected by six media members from around the country, had to be decided upon before the season began in order to provide time for printing. But it has been apparent since at least September that Frye would Phoenix's starting center, with Stoudemire at power forward.

Yes, the crop of centers in the West is not strong, with Shaquille O'Neal having departed from Phoenix to Cleveland in the East and Houston's Yao out for the season due to injury. Still, I don't think it's proper to move players on the ballot to positions at which they don't start.

Anyhow, so much for the Lakers' Andrew Bynum or Minnesota's Al Jefferson getting the starting nod at center for the West. Stoudemire figures to win the fan voting for the Feb. 14 game in Dallas in an election that conjures up memories of Nixon over McGovern in 1972.

Omissions on the ballot were Yao and New Jersey big man Yi Jianlian, but I have no problem with either. Yao is obviously hurt, so it would have been ridiculous to have listed him -- especially because he probably would have won. As for Yi, a 9.8 scoring average last season does not guarantee inclusion on the ballot.

Of course, let's find out now if Chinese-American relations have been damaged.

It was interesting to see two centers listed on the ballot for Boston in Kendrick Perkins and Rasheed Wallace. NBA teams love to tell their fans to vote for all their players, but a Celtics fan won't be able to vote for both Perkins and Wallace or else the ballot will be tossed.

Still, that was a difficult problem to solve. Wallace comes off the bench to play center and forward, and listing him at forward would have given the Celtics three forwards. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are the others, and they're obviously not going anywhere.

Ballot results will show how popular guard Allen Iverson continues to be. Iverson has been named a starter in nine of the past 10 years (he was a reserve in 2007 after having been traded in December 2006 from Philadelphia to Denver). That includes last season when, with Detroit, he was one of the most unworthy players in All-Star history to get a starting nod.

But now that Iverson is squabbling with Memphis and could be sent packing, could he become the first player chosen for the All-Star Game who doesn't have a team? Probably not since it would be stunning if he is voted as a starter again, but it certainly is worth following the results.

And more surprising things have happened before in elections. Don't dead people vote in Chicago?

Plenty of complaints have been coming out of Clipperland with the ballot omissions of guard Eric Gordon and center Chris Kaman, just named Western Conference Player of the Week. I can understand Kaman, who was hurt much of last season and is on a team that has another solid center in Marcus Camby, being left off. But the Gordon omission is a tough one.

Still, it must be noted it's not easy to put together an All-Star ballot. Gordon is more deserving to be on the ballot than Minnesota's Ramon Sessions. But each team must be represented three times, and Sessions was the third man for the Timberwolves.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com and on Twitter @christomasson.

2010 NBA All-Star Ballot

Eastern

Guards
Ray Allen, Celtics
Gilbert Arenas, Wizards
Mike Bibby, Hawks
Jose Calderon, Raptors
Vince Carter, Magic
Jamal Crawford, Hawks
Chris Duhon, Knicks
Raymond Felton, Bobcats
T.J. Ford, Pacers
Ben Gordon, Pistons
Richard Hamilton, Pistons
Devin Harris, Nets
Kirk Hinrich, Bulls
Joe Johnson, Hawks
Courtney Lee, Nets
Jameer Nelson, Magic
Michael Redd, Bucks
Nate Robinson, Knicks
Rajon Rondo, Celtics
Derrick Rose, Bulls
John Salmons, Bulls
Rodney Stucky, Pistons
Dwyane Wade, Heat
Mo Williams, Cavs

Forwards
Michael Beasley, Heat
Chris Bosh, Raptors
Elton Brand, Sixers
Caron Butler, Wizards
Luol Deng, Bulls
Boris Diaw, Bobcats
Kevin Garnett, Celtics
Danny Granger, Pacers
Al Harrington, Knicks
Udonis Haslem, Heat
Andre Iguodala, Sixers
LeBron James, Cavs
Antawn Jamison, Wizards
David Lee, Knicks
Rashard Lewis, Magic
Troy Murphy, Pacers
Paul Pierce, Celtics
Tayshaun Prince, Pistons
Josh Smith, Hawks
Hedo Turkoglu, Raptors
Anderson Varejao, Cavs
Charlie Villanueva, Pistons
Gerald Wallace, Bobcats
Hakim Warrick, Bucks

Centers
Andrea Bargnani, Raptors
Andrew Bogut, Bucks
Tyson Chandler, Bobcats
Samuel Dalembert, Sixers
Al Horford, Hawks
Dwight Howard, Magic
Brook Lopez, Nets
Brad Miller, Bulls
Jermaine O'Neal, Heat
Shaquille O'Neal, Cavs
Kendrick Perkins, Celtics
Rasheed Wallace, Celtics
Western

Guards
Leandro Barbosa, Suns
Chauncey Billups, Nuggets
Aaron Brooks, Rockets
Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Baron Davis, Clippers
Monta Ellis, Warriors
Manu Ginobili, Spurs
Josh Howard, Mavericks
Allen Iverson, Grizzlies
Stephen Jackson, Warriors
Jason Kidd, Mavericks
Kevin Martin, Kings
O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies
Tracy McGrady, Rockets
Andre Miller, Blazers
Steve Nash, Suns
Tony Parker, Spurs
Chris Paul, Hornets
Jason Richardson, Suns
Brandon Roy, Blazers
Ramon Sessions, Wolves
Jason Terry, Mavericks
Russell Westbrook, Thunder
Deron Williams, Jazz

Forwards
LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers
Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets
Trevor Ariza, Rockets
Ron Artest, Lakers
Carlos Boozer, Jazz
Tim Duncan, Spurs
Kevin Durant, Thunder
Pau Gasol, Lakers
Rudy Gay, Grizzlies
Jeff Green, Thunder
Blake Griffin, Clippers
Grant Hill, Suns
Richard Jefferson, Spurs
Kevin Love, Wolves
Shawn Marion, Mavericks
Kenyon Martin, Nuggets
Paul Millsap, Jazz
Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
Lamar Odom, Lakers
Anthony Randolph, Warriors
Luis Scola, Rockets
Jason Thompson, Kings
Al Thornton, Clippers
David West, Hornets

Centers
Andris Biedrins, Warriors
Andrew Bynum, Lakers
Marcus Camby, Clippers
Marc Gasol, Grizzlies
Spencer Hawes, Kings
Al Jefferson, Wolves
Antonio McDyess, Spurs
Nene, Nuggets
Greg Oden, Blazers
Emeka Okafor, Hornets
Mehmet Okur, Jazz
Amar'e Stoudemire, Suns

2010 NBA All-Star Ballot Announced originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's Early, but Chris Kaman Breaking Out

Matt Steinmetz — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:53:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, NBA Press Box

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Anyone who has watched the L.A. Clippers so far this season pretty much has the same question: what's up with Chris Kaman?

The guy's been playing some ball and doesn't seem to resemble the player of past years. But according to coach Mike Dunleavy, nothing at all is up.

"The only difference with him is he's shooting the ball," Dunleavy said before the Clippers dismantled the Warriors, 118-90, on Friday night. "And I mean literally shooting the ball. He's always been able to shoot the ball but always had this kind of mentality of 'I can't take too many shots,' or 'I need to get closer to the basket.' "

Kaman looked more like a go-to guy than a role player against the Warriors. The Clippers constantly fed him in the low post, and he wore out a host of Golden State defenders. Kaman finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, right on his season averages entering the game of 22 and 10.

"Growing up, the way I was taught basketball was that it's a team game," Kaman said. "I was just trying to get my teammates involved and make them feel comfortable playing with me. And the same thing for them now. They try to look for me and so it's a give-and-take type of thing. I'm not going to shoot an off-balance shot unless it's a shot-clock thing and I have to.

"My teammates have done a great job this year of giving me the ball in places where I know I'm capable. I'm trying to do the right thing by taking good shots and taking advantage of the situation."

Kaman started out the game by knocking down an 18-footer, and he wound up scoring in a variety of ways. He had a half-hook or two, a face-up jumper here and there and cashed in on some garbage when the time came.

"He lost a lot of weight, he's in shape and it's the fact that we're out there trying to work," teammate Baron Davis said. "We're working. Last year we didn't play much with each other but we didn't understand, didn't have a good understanding of each other."

This year things appear to be different.

"I'm getting better and trying to feel out his game a little bit and how he likes to play," Kaman said about Davis. "I didn't get to do that a lot last year, not playing all those games (because of injury), and our record. It was just tough last year. I'm just starting to get more comfortable playing with him.

"I'm ready. I'm trying to be ready when he throws the ball because sometimes you don't know it's coming as the guy receiving the pass. He just makes great plays and I just try to put it in the basket."

For much of the third quarter, the Clippers ran their offense exclusively through Kaman. He had 12 of his 22 points in the period and gave L.A. the stability to weather an early run in the quarter by the Warriors.

"If you watched him from the time he came in, he'd go out and shoot left-handed 3-pointers and his stroke looked gorgeous," Dunleavy said. "But forever he'd get the ball and put the ball on the floor, got to pound it, got to get closer to try to score. And we're like: 'Just shoot it." If you get the ball in the post, just go left, go right. If you're outside and get an open look, go shoot it. He's been doing that more."

Dunleavy foresees no trouble when Kaman eventually pairs in the frontcourt with rookie Blake Griffin, who is out with a stress fracture.

"They play great together," Dunleavy said. "There's no issue with them at all. Absolutely (in the preseason) they played really well together."

And right now, Kaman's playing pretty well by himself, too.

It's Early, but Chris Kaman Breaking Out originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Investigates Alleged Homophobic Heckler Response by Maverick

Tom Ziller — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:44:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Mavericks, NBA Fans, NBA Rumors

OutSports.com reported Tuesday that Drew Gooden made homophobic remarks to two hecklin' Clippers fans after the Mavericks' Saturday game in Los Angeles. One of the Clippers fans happened to be actor Chris Wylde (pictured, far right), who has -- no joke -- appearances on a show named Heckle U to his credit. (The plot of Heckle U, according to IMDB? Two dudes change the course of basketball games by heckling the opposing teams into submission.)

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban reportedly emailed Wylde, saying the team would deal with Gooden. Meanwhile, the Dallas Morning News reports that the NBA is currently investigating the matter, while ESPN's Tim MacMahon has an anonymous source who claims it wasn't Gooden who made the remark. (No word on whether that anonymous source is Gooden.)

NBA Investigates Alleged Homophobic Heckler Response by Maverick originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Donald Sterling Pays Millions to Settle Federal Discrimination Suit

Matt Watson — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, NBA Police Blotter

The skeletons in Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's closet have been a poorly kept secret for years -- and now they're a matter of public record. According to the Los Angeles Times, Sterling and his wife have agreed to pay a whopping $2.725 million to make a federal lawsuit alleging housing discrimination go away.

Although Sterling, who runs his real estate empire as competently as his NBA team, officially denies any wrongdoing, the fact remains that the settlement, once officially approved by a U.S. District judge, is projected to go down as the largest ever obtained by the Justice Department in a housing discrimination case.

Even if Sterling is officially allowed to save face by calling the settlement a business decision (a "compromise of disputed claims," according to court documents obtained by the Times) instead of an admission of guilt, it's still a black stain on the NBA -- and one it needs to address.

Given the recent uproar about Rush Limbaugh's failed bid to buy a minority stake in the St. Louis Rams, where's the outrage in Sterling being allowed to maintain majority ownership of the Clippers? The worst that Limbaugh was accused of is exercising free speech. But Sterling? From the Times:

The Justice Department sued the Sterlings three years ago, accusing them of favoring Korean tenants while seeking to exclude blacks and families with children. Through their Beverly Hills Properties, the Sterlings own and manage about 119 apartment buildings with some 5,000 units in Los Angeles County, according to the Justice Department.

In court filings, Justice Department lawyers presented evidence that the Sterlings made statements "indicating that African Americans and Hispanics were not desirable tenants and that they preferred Korean tenants" occupy buildings they owned in Koreatown.

If the NBA is so concerned about its image that it doles out fines to players and coaches who dare complain about referees (players and coaches often making the exact same observations made by television announcing crews calling the games), how can the league let Sterling's transgressions -- actions that not only create an uglier P.R. disaster but also have actual negative effects on society -- go unpunished?

Several NFL players spoke out against Limbaugh, saying they'd never play for a team he owned, and at least one NFL owner said he wouldn't vote to approve him, but NBA players and owners have largely remained silent about Sterling's status. That's a shame, especially because the only difference between the two is that Sterling already belongs to the league's fraternity and isn't merely trying to gain entry.

Donald Sterling Pays Millions to Settle Federal Discrimination Suit originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blake Griffin Talks About His Injury

Elie Seckbach — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, NBA Videos

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Blake Griffin, the first overall draft pick, is staying strong after suffering a knee injury during a preseason game. In this FanHouse exclusive, he gives he gives us an update on his injury.

We also talk boxing with Griffin's teammates, as Marcus Camby, Rasual Butler and DeAndre Jordan make their picks in the upcoming Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight.

Check out the video after the jump.

Blake Griffin Talks About His Injury originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Players in the Halloween Spirit

Elie Seckbach — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:53:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Lakers, Suns, NBA Videos, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Halloween is one of those holiday that everyone loves ... including NBA players.

In this FanHouse exclusive, we catch up with NBA stars Amar'e Stoudemire, Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Ron Artest, Kyrylo Fesenko, Channing Frye, Craig Smith, Goran Dragic and Lou Amundson.

Find out who is most likely to be Hugh Hefner, Magic Don Juan, a lumberjack, Frankenstein and an Army vet.

Check out the video after the jump.

NBA Players in the Halloween Spirit originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rebounding Focus Pays Off for the Suns

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Suns

LOS ANGELES -- Rebounding is all that Suns' head coach Alvin Gentry has been talking about during the preseason, and with his team being an undersized bunch who would rather try to run you off the floor than stand toe-to-toe and slug it out, that's completely understandable.

But the emphasis on taking care of the boards had its consequences in the team's season opener on Wednesday, as Phoenix -- yes, the extended remix of the Seven Seconds or Less Suns -- managed just two fast break points in their game against the Clippers.

The ultimate result, however, was a positive one. The Suns' focus on rebounding enabled them to hang with a big and talented Clippers' front line, and pull out a hard-fought, last-second 109-107 road victory in Los Angeles.

"We've got to get out and run more," Gentry said, when discussing his team's lack of points in transition. "We get so conscious right now of trying to guard the boards, you know, the offensive boards -- which I thought we did a good job on -- that sometimes it limits us a little bit as far as getting out on the break.

"We still got 109 points, even though we didn't get any fast break points. And really, some of the things they don't call fast break points .. if we come down and we run a drag, and we get a wide open three-pointer, we consider that a fast break point. So it's really a little bit distorted, but they did do a good job as far as getting back and keeping us from running."

Phoenix held a 22-15 rebounding advantage at the half, thanks to seven from Grant Hill, and five each from Jared Dudley and Earl Clark off the bench. They finished the game with just one more board than L.A., but the fact that they were able to compete at all with guys like Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman down there shows how serious the team is about making the glass work a top priority.

"It's never really easy to rebound against those guys, they're seven-footers," Amar'e Stoudemire said afterwards. "Both guys are great rebounders out there. But I think from a team effort we did a great job, really attacked the boards, really boxed out well. Me and [Channing Frye] were trying to keep the big guys off the boards, and Grant was coming in and getting the rebounds, so from a team standpoint we did a pretty good job."

Stoudemire and Frye combined to grab just nine rebounds, while the aforementioned Clippers' duo came away with a combined 20. But as Amar'e mentioned, as long as someone like Grant Hill can swoop in when he's doing the blocking out, things will turn out okay. Even if the fast break opportunities might not be there because of it.

Hill finished with a team-leading 13 rebounds, which is a huge number for him.

"The year we won 62 games we got out-rebounded on the offensive boards 55 times," Gentry pointed out. "But for this team to be successful, we've got to find a way to rebound the basketball."

The Suns did that on opening night, against a Clippers team that -- at least going in -- appeared to have a significant advantage.

Rebounding Focus Pays Off for the Suns originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nash's 'Old White Guy' Shot Leads Suns Past Clippers

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:03:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Suns

LOS ANGELES -- The Clippers held a seven-point lead over the Suns with about nine minutes remaining in their home opener, in a game that was the season opener for Phoenix.

But Steve Nash made sure that his Suns left with the victory, by scoring 15 of his team's 24 fourth quarter points, including the game-winner in a thrilling 109-107 contest at Staples Center.

The shot that Nash hit to win it came on a tough drive against Baron Davis, who was tightly guarding Nash behind the three-point line, with the game tied and 11.9 seconds left on the clock. Nash made a stop-and-go move, but with Davis all over him, he had no choice but to take the ball to the rack, and finish beautifully with his left hand to carry his team to a 1-0 start on the season.

"Well, I went to the old 'white guy in the YMCA' shot," Nash said. "And I was lucky to make something happen."

Nash took the shot earlier than he wanted to, and actually left the Clippers plenty of time -- 5.5 seconds -- to tie or win the game with a shot of their own. But he and Alvin Gentry talked about it in the timeout before the play, and both understood that it might be necessary to take the shot early if the opportunity were to arise.

"Nash said 'if I get by him initially, I might have to go early, because if I back it up and he gets into me, it would be hard for me to get by him a second time,' " Gentry said. "So he said 'I might have to shoot it early, and if I get by him, I have to go.' "

Talk about a veteran player and an experienced coach knowing the situation -- that's almost exactly how things played out.

"Baron was playing me so tight, and I wanted to take the last shot, but he was playing me too tight, and once I got a little step on him, I had to take it," Nash said. "It was a little early, but when I got to the paint I kept going when I saw a little daylight."

As far as winning the game with a left-handed shot, Nash admitted it's something he hasn't done or even thought about in quite some time.

"It's been a while, you know, I don't play much basketball in the summer, so the left has been a little dormant," Nash said. "I made a few with the right earlier in the game and in the preseason, but luckily it woke up for me."

The Clippers did have a final crack at it, but a long three-point attempt from Eric Gordon wasn't close -- thanks to Amar'e Stoudemire stepping out to contest -- and the Suns came away with the win. And since Phoenix isn't a team that's exactly known for their defense, you can bet the part about the game ending with them holding defensively didn't go unnoticed by their head coach.

"Nobody's talking about it, but we won the game with a defensive stop, okay?" Gentry said. "That, in itself right there, is progress."

Nash's 'Old White Guy' Shot Leads Suns Past Clippers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kaman's Backyard Is Fun, Dangerous

Matt Watson — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, NBA Videos

If you've seen one NBA mixtape on YouTube, you've seen them all, right? Most of them are just flashy dunk highlights put to a profanity-laced rap beat. But Chris Kaman is a different kind of cat, both on the court and off, and in hindsight, it shouldn't have been a surprise to see that his YouTube channel doesn't feature any basketball at all.

What does it feature? Try a .50 caliber rifle and municipal-grade fireworks -- all being used in his backyard. No, really -- video evidence is after the jump, as well as his interview with Elie Seckbach in which he discusses his explosion-filled and bullet-riddled summer vacation.

I'm sure he had a permit for that, right? Moving on -- to his insane fireworks show. From the YouTube description: "NBA Center Chris Kaman and his friends light municipal sized fireworks in his front lawn. Fortunately it only cost about $6,000."

A more accurate description would have read: "Watch Chris Kaman nearly kill himself! And stay for the massive explosion at the end when Chris and his friends tie a bunch of mortars together and light the fuses without putting them in a tube!" Seriously, if you watch anything, at least skip ahead to the 2:20 mark -- it's like an outtake from a Michael Bay movie.

I hate to pass judgment without knowing all of the details, but assuming this was filmed at his Michigan home, there's absolutely no way those fireworks are legal. (And that last explosion at the end? It's stunts like that which convince Michigan lawmakers to keep those kinds of fireworks illegal. Just saying.)

/ moralizing.

And now, here's FanHouse's Elie Seckbach, who recently caught up with Kaman and talked about his summer, as well as his predictions for the upcoming season.

Kaman's Backyard Is Fun, Dangerous originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jumping to Conclusions After One Night

Matt Steinmetz — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:05:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Celtics, Clippers, Lakers, Mavericks, Rockets, Trail Blazers

Home sweet home. Well, for one night anyway. In front of a 42-inch big screen on opening night in the NBA. Let's go ahead and try to read too much into it ...

o. You can't tell me the Cleveland Cavaliers aren't going to come knocking for Stephen Jackson at some point. Looks like LeBron James is going to need some more help.

Hard as this is to say, it doesn't seem like Shaquille O'Neal can even be your No. 2 option. Apparently, the Cavs are reluctant to give up Zydrunas Ilgauskas for Jackson because Cleveland doesn't want to get smaller.

Then again, Jackson would make the Cavaliers tougher, and he would give them someone other than James who can make a play. Besides, the Warriors have Ronny Turiaf to sweeten the deal if need be.

o. With all due respect to Dallas owner Mark Cuban, this year's version of the Mavs isn't better than that team that went to the Finals in 2006. The reason: it was the pre-exposed Dirk Nowitzki in 2006.

Back then, the belief was that a team with Nowitzki as its best player could win it all. But now we know better. And far as anyone can tell, Nowitzki is still Dallas' best player, a healthy Josh Howard or not.

Look, Nowitzki is a wonderful player. But after watching the Mavericks falter against the Heat in '06, then get dismantled by the Warriors in the first round the following season, it seems apparent the Mavericks aren't going to win a title (which is the only way they can be better, right?) until Nowitzki becomes his team's second-best player.

o. Didn't really notice the officiating on opening night, did you? Oh, that's right. The big boys were back.

o. Gilbert Arenas sure looked good in the opener, but Caron Butler might be the most important piece on that team. He's the Wizard most likely to do things other than score to help his team win.

And, yes, I say that even on a night he took 17 shots and had just one assist. By the way, Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld is the early leader in the Executive of the Year Award chase.

o. Pretty troubling sequence from the L.A. Clippers at the end of the first quarter against the Lakers, when they already were down 13. Baron Davis rushed a 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining -- just for the sake of a 2-for-1 -- and missed badly. Davis missed so badly that the ball rebounded long to the opposite-of-shy Ricky Davis.

Time to get a good one, right? Exactly. Ricky Davis then proceeded to immediately launch another 3-pointer instead of running down the clock. Banked it home.

o. Houston coach Rick Adelman had to be thinking Warriors -- tonight's Rockets opponent -- down the stretch of their loss to Portland.

Interesting Adelman wasn't even considering coming back with Shane Battier, Trevor Ariza and Luis Scola after some of his subs got Houston back within four of Portland with a couple minutes left.

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Jumping to Conclusions After One Night originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lakers Pick Up Their Rings -- And a Win

Brett Pollakoff — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:23:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Lakers

LOS ANGELES -- An excited, capacity crowd anxiously awaited the final chance to celebrate last season's NBA Championship with its beloved Lakers. The team held a ring ceremony, before unveiling their 15th championship banner, which was hanging behind a black curtain high on the back wall of the Staples Center.

It was an exciting start to the night, but the excitement ended there, as the quality of the opening night opponent (or lack thereof) made it easy on the defending champs and a yawner for those in attendance. The result was a lackluster, comfortable 99-92 win for the Lakers in their first game of the 2009-10 NBA season.

Lakers 99, Clippers 92: Box Score | Pollakoff: Artest Adjusting to Lakers

The Lakers' opening-night opponents, the Clippers, had the option of watching the ring ceremony on the court, but chose instead to use the time a bit more productively.

"Stretching," Dunleavy said, when asked what the team would be doing. "Yoga."

One can't fault him for making that decision, considering the fact that this Clippers team is about as far away from the goal of a title as possible. What Dunleavy and his players missed was a nice (if not overly emotional) ceremony in which the home team trotted out "legends" of previous championship seasons. Some of the luminaries included Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Jerry West, and Robert Horry -- who received as loud of a cheer as anyone, thanks to his heroics with the club earlier this decade.

One by one, team personnel, then the coaches, and finally the players were introduced, each stepping forward to receive their ring, shake David Stern's hand and make his way down the procession. Kobe Bryant was, of course, the final player introduced, and while there weren't any tears, his ear-to-ear smile was as big as any that you'll ever see him flash.

Once the festivities completed, there was the formality of playing the actual game, which, with Blake Griffin's debut being delayed for at least six weeks due to a knee injury, held little intrigue.

The Lakers led by 10 after one quarter, thanks to a quick start by Bryant, who had 13 points on nine field goal attempts in the period. The newest member of the Lakers' starting lineup, Ron Artest, didn't do much that showed up in the box score early, but he was very active, playing the role of "new guy who is trying his best not to screw things up."

The home team pushed its lead to 15 points early in the second, before the lineup of D.J. Mbenga, Josh Powell, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, and Shannon Brown allowed the Clippers to trim it to three halfway through the period. But at that point, the starters were promptly re-inserted and order was restored, with the Lakers regaining a double-digit lead at the break.

The game didn't reach epic blowout proportions at any point in the second half, and in fact, the Clippers trimmed the lead down to one to end the third quarter. But even then, you never got the feeling that this game's ultimate result was ever in doubt, and Lamar Odom's three-pointer with just over six and a half minutes remaining put the Lakers back up by 10.

Bryant gave the Lakers a 13-point lead with an "and-1" a minute or so later, then dished to Artest for a fast break bucket on the next possession, and the game was officially in the refrigerator from that moment on.

Inside the Staples Center, once the opening ceremonies had concluded, it was as dead as a Sunday night game in late December when the Lakers are hosting one of the league's worst teams. In that scenario, one knows the Lakers are going to win, but it's going to be a lackluster and uninspired effort, and that's pretty much what occurred Tuesday night.

But overall, it was a great start to the season, and the fans got what they came here to see: the Lakers picked up their rings, raised their banner, and picked up an opening night victory. And for a team beginning that long, long journey back to the top of the NBA mountain, that's all anyone could ask for.

Lakers Pick Up Their Rings -- And a Win originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live Tweet: Lakers vs. Clippers

Brett Pollakoff — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Lakers, NBA Live Blogging

The Lakers will open the 2009-10 season by receiving their championship rings and raising their 15th banner to the rafters at Staples Center.

Oh yeah, and they'll play a basketball game too, against the unfortunately undermanned team from across the hall, the L.A. Clippers.

FanHouse has got you covered, and we'll be there live for all the festivities. So join us beginning just after 10PM EST by following @NBAFanHouse, or simply read on to follow along below.

Twitter Updates on Lakers vs. Clippers

NBA FanHouse on Twitter

Live Tweet: Lakers vs. Clippers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blake Griffin Could Miss Six Weeks

Matt Watson — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:10:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, NBA Injuries

On the eve of yet another rebuilding season, the Los Angeles Clippers revealed on Monday night that Blake Griffin's knee injury was far more serious than initially feared: he's been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left kneecap (the patella, to be precise) and could be sidelined up to six weeks. He suffered the injury in the team's final preseason game.

The timing of the announcement is a bit curious -- and potentially embarrassing for the Clippers' training staff. Earlier in the day following Monday's practice, Mike Dunleavy told reporters that Griffin merely had a bone bruise, but added that Griffin was seeking a second opinion. Presumably, it's the second opinion that revealed the more serious ailment.

While the timing certainly puts a black cloud over the team before the season even starts, the silver lining is that the injury was discovered now, before Griffin had a chance to cause further harm by playing through the pain. In the meantime, figuring out the rotation just got easier: Kevin Arnovitz of ClipperBlog predicts DeAndre Jordan to pick up more playing time, with Al Thornton and Rasual Butler also seeing more time together.

Povtak: Griffin's a Casualty of Too-Long Preseason
Fantasy Impact: Replacements for Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin Could Miss Six Weeks originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ron Artest Is Ready, Kobe Is Excited

Elie Seckbach — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Lakers, NBA Videos

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

The Lakers open their 2009-10 NBA season against the Clippers on Oct. 27. Prior to the game, the Lakers will receive their championship rings, and Kobe Bryant tells us he is too excited. In this video we also talk to Kobe's new teammate Ron Artest, who knows the formula for success. We also hear from Al Thornton of the Clippers.

Check out the video after the jump.

Ron Artest Is Ready, Kobe Is Excited originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blake Griffin's a Casualty of Too Many NBA Exhibition Games

Tim Povtak — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Hawks

Shame on the NBA owners for being greedy, trying to milk their teams for an unbelievable eight exhibition games on top of an already marathon regular season and a taxing playoff march.

Eight is too many. Just ask Los Angeles Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, who now may be without his star rookie prize Blake Griffin in Tuesday's much-anticipated opener against the cross-arena Lakers.

Griffin hurt his left knee Friday night in exhibition No. 8, a game that never should have been played if the league had listened to players, coaches, trainers and even nonsensical sports writers who have said for years that there is no need for so many meaningless games.

The only ones in the NBA who actually think you need eight exhibition games (and yes, they charge full price) are those counting the cash at the ticket windows.

"I think almost everyone would agree that four games, and two weeks, is enough to get a team ready to start the season,'' said one former NBA player and coach. "You don't need a month, or eight games. I think most everyone was saying a week or two ago, `let's get this regular-season started.'''

Griffin, the No. 1 pick in the 2009 Draft, got hurt trying to put some emphasis on a dunk, came down the wrong way, and limped back down court but stayed in the game. Although not considered too serious, his knee was swollen, and he has needed treatment the past two days. He remains questionable for today's opener.

Griffin had looked impressive during the practice games, creating a buzz around the league with his performance and work ethic, much as expected for a No. 1 pick with great credentials. The Clips, who won only 23 and 19 games the last two seasons, have been promoting Griffin extensively, hoping to ride him to a quick turnaround.

Now he may watching from the bench. The Clips aren't the only one who will suffer from too long of an exhibition schedule.

The Atlanta Hawks, who played like they didn't enjoy playing basketball anymore Friday night against the Magic, may be without center Al Horford for their opener Wednesday night. Horford sprained his ankle in Friday's scrum in Orlando.

Although rookies like Griffin are trying to carve their niche early, veterans aren't playing full speed, knowing no one remembers what happened during practice games. Coaches can see from practices, and from half the number of games, who they want in their lineup for opening night.

You can feel bad for the players, who really didn't want or need the extra practice games, but don't feel bad for the teams, who simply schedule too many games to help cover their bills.

Blake Griffin's a Casualty of Too Many NBA Exhibition Games originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vujacic Gets Out of a Hairy Situation

Elie Seckbach — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Lakers, NBA Videos, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

It was about a year a go when Sasha Vujacic ("The Machine") signed a three-year contact with the Lakers. One of the lines in the contract read that Sasha was not required to cut his hair. After a long season of being in a hairy situation, "The Machine" showed up at training camp with a new look.

We caught up with Sasha during a recent charity event hosted by Kobe alongside Clippers players Chris Kaman and Eric Gordon.

Check out the video after the jump.

Vujacic Gets Out of a Hairy Situation originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blake Griffin Posterizes a Laker

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Lakers, NBA Videos

Blake Griffin can dunk. And he's not afraid to dunk on people, as he showed pretty viciously during the Clippers' preseason game on Sunday against the Lakers.

The Laker on the wrong end of Griffin's throw-down was D.J. Mbenga, and while he's not exactly Andrew Bynum in terms of desirable dunking targets, the guy's still seven feet tall -- and has a black belt in Aikido!

The video is after the jump, and bonus points if you can identify the Laker on the bench who hides his face in shame behind the towel, after the completion of Griffin's abusive act.

Blake Griffin Posterizes a Laker originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA FanHouse

The Donald Sterling Rule: All Bad Deeds Go Unpunished

Clippers Broadcast Team Suspended for Comments About Hamed Haddadi

How Low Will the Winless Nets Go?

2010 NBA All-Star Ballot Announced

It's Early, but Chris Kaman Breaking Out

NBA Investigates Alleged Homophobic Heckler Response by Maverick

Donald Sterling Pays Millions to Settle Federal Discrimination Suit

Blake Griffin Talks About His Injury

NBA Players in the Halloween Spirit

Rebounding Focus Pays Off for the Suns

Nash's 'Old White Guy' Shot Leads Suns Past Clippers

Kaman's Backyard Is Fun, Dangerous

Jumping to Conclusions After One Night

Lakers Pick Up Their Rings -- And a Win

Lakers Championship Ring Photos

Live Tweet: Lakers vs. Clippers

Blake Griffin Could Miss Six Weeks

Ron Artest Is Ready, Kobe Is Excited

Blake Griffin's a Casualty of Too Many NBA Exhibition Games

Vujacic Gets Out of a Hairy Situation

Blake Griffin Posterizes a Laker