Two weeks ago, there was a buzz of excitement surrounding the Clippers. The team had won three consecutive games, its longest winning streak since starting out last season with four straight wins, and New Year's Eve was circled on everyone's calendar.
That's because the Philadelphia 76ers were due in town, bringing with them former Clipper mainstay Elton Brand. It was to be the fans' chance to show their thanks for Brand's seven seasons with the team or their displeasure at the way he left by exercising the escape clause in his contract and signing this past summer with the Sixers. But the glow of that anticipated meeting has dimmed considerably. The Clippers are in the midst of a four-game losing streak that has put them back within the doorstep of the Pacific Division basement that currently is occupied by the Sacramento Kings. There has been little joy at Staples Center for the Clippers because they have lost nine of the 12 games played on their home floor so far.
As for Brand, it is highly probable that he won't make the trip out west at all. He recently suffered a separated shoulder and is out indefinitely.
So the "Welcome Back, E.B." signs and/or the "Branded Traitor" signs will have to wait until at least next year, when Philadelphia visits Staples Center.
Besides, the Clippers have more pressing problems to worry about, aside from putting out welcome-home platitudes for Brand. With star guard Baron Davis in a shooting slump and a mental funk, the Clippers' offense is stale. Both Davis and forward Al Thornton are shooting horribly from the field of late. Both are taking questionable, low-percentage shots.
But their dismal field-goal shooting percentages also are a byproduct of the offensive scheme, which is predicated largely on isolation plays, with little cutting from players without the ball and weak screening.
Now, without injured forward Zach Randolph to deliver on screen-and-roll and screen-and-pop plays, the Clippers' offense is further strangled. Scoring in the half-court offense is often an arduous task because the Clippers get very few uncontested shots. Davis said recently that he is going to take it upon himself to create more scoring opportunities through dribble penetration.
But what the Clippers need to do is to have better ball movement and more player movement, without the ball, to create better scoring opportunities.
KINGS 92, CLIPPERS 90: When it mattered most, the visiting Clippers could not put the ball in the basket. They went scoreless over the final three minutes of the game. The Clippers trailed by 15 points at the end of one quarter and by eight points at halftime. But they took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter.
