With the high-octane Denver Nuggets due to visit Staples Center as the Clippers' next opponent, some drastic shoring up of the defense is in order. Otherwise, it will be an offensive bonanza for Allen Iverson, J.R. Smith and others, even though Carmelo Anthony will sit the game out due to suspension.
Although the Clippers had a successful exhibition season, it figured that their defense would be slow to come around, once the regular season began, due to the influx of new players. Only five of the 14 players on the roster were part of the team last season and only three -- Tim Thomas, Cuttino Mobley and Al Thornton, played the final weeks of the season. So, getting the rotations down smoothly will be critical because the Clippers' best perimeter defender is reserve point guard Jason Hart. The interior defense will not be at its best either, until the injured Marcus Camby is ready to play.
Camby dearly wanted to play against his former Denver teammates, not that he has any animosity against them but he remains bitter by the way management discarded him this past summer for a mere second-round draft pick. It strictly was a financial move by Denver but that was of no solace to Camby -- who was the NBA's defensive player of the year in 2006-2007.
With Camby still hobbled by a bruised right heel, sixth man Tim Thomas will remain in the starting lineup at power forward. That weakens the Clippers in two areas -- Thomas does not rebound or play defense at the same level that Camby does, and with Thomas in the starting lineup, the Clippers miss his offensive firepower on the second unit.
The Clippers won the first meeting between the two teams last year but Denver proceeded to win the next three games, including an 18-point victory at Staples Center.
LAKERS 117, CLIPPERS 79: A total breakdown of their interior defense after a competitive first quarter caused the Clippers' demise in their season-opener. The Clippers stayed close early, against the Lakers' starters but when both teams went to their respective benches, the Lakers' second unit overwhelmed their Clipper counterparts.
