At this time of year, optimism abounds with every NBA team, even the cellar dwellers of the previous year. So, it is not surprising that Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy was animated and excited about his team's chances during the early days of training camp.
No doubt, part of the reason for his sunny disposition is that the Clippers have one of the NBA's pre-eminent guards in All-Star Baron Davis, who signed a five-year, $65 million free agent contract this summer. Also, the Clippers are conducting training camp at their own practice facility in Playa Vista, which the players finally were able to use a couple of weeks before camp officially opened.
No more fall excursions to Santa Barbara or Palm Desert -- unless Dunleavy specifically requests such and is granted approval. The Clippers have their own digs to work out in.
"The guys are really competing hard," Dunleavy said. "A lot of guys are playing well. The young guys are really doing a nice job. Baron is everything that we expected."
To spark the competition to its highest level possible, Dunleavy has eschewed breaking up the teams into three units, based on strength.
"We mixed up a lot of our teams so that we have a lot of even competition," he said. "It's good when you have (different) teams winning (scrimmages) and a lot of guys are getting angry when they've lost."
Because all but five of the 18 players in training camp were not with the Clippers last season, it would seem that Dunleavy and his coaching staff would have to take longer to implement the offensive and defensive systems.
However, Dunleavy said that the veterans have done a great job at mentoring the rookies. The plays are familiar, for the most part, for the veterans -- only the terminology has changed from their previous NBA stops.
One of those players is journeyman center Jelani McCoy, who has played parts of eight previous seasons in the NBA with six different teams. McCoy spent most of last season playing in the D-League but was up briefly with the Denver Nuggets, even starting one of the six games in which he appeared.
Although McCoy is in camp on a non-guaranteed contract, he has a chance to wedge a spot on the regular-season roster because of his experience and his skills as a rebounder and shot blocker.
Although the Clippers finished near or at the bottom of the NBA in nearly every offensive statistical category last season, Dunleavy does not believe that scoring will be a major problem this season.
He noted that there were a number of players on the team capable of scoring 30 points on any given night, and although he at times exaggerates, this wasn't one of those times.
NBA career highs for Clippers players: Baron Davis, 40 points; Ricky Davis, 45; Cuttino Mobley, 41; Tim Thomas, 39; Al Thornton, 39; Chris Kaman, 26.
