--Rookie guards Eric Gordon and Mike Taylor have made quite an impression in training camp, as has another rookie, C DeAndre Jordan. Gordon had a game-high 33 points in the Clippers' exhibition game victory over the Sacramento Kings. That scoring splurge featured six three-pointers. Taylor scored 21 points, as the Clippers beat the Kings, despite the absence of Baron Davis and Al Thornton.
--It is going to be an arduous task for journeyman C Jelani McCoy to make the Clippers' opening-night roster but no one can say that the former UCLA player is not making Dunleavy's decision difficult. McCoy scored 12 points in the win over Sacramento. McCoy has played with six NBA teams over parts of eight seasons. He broke in with the Seattle SuperSonics, during the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season. McCoy was out of the NBA entirely, during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons.
"He just hasn't been able to stick in one place, for one reason or another," Dunleavy said. "But he can score in the low post, rebound and block a shot."
MAIN REASON CLIPPERS CAN WIN: With Baron Davis igniting the fast break and second-year F Al Thornton filling the lane, the Clippers should score many more easy baskets than they did a year ago. Several newcomers, namely Ricky Davis and Marcus Camby, will play with a purpose, striving to prove that the teams that gave up on them made big mistakes.
MAIN REASON CLIPPERS CAN LOSE: Perimeter defense looms as a problem, with no established stopper. Continuity will take time to establish, with so many new players on the team. The Clippers will have to keep their turnover count down since the defense does not cause a lot of opponent turnovers.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm not worried about any of that now -- starters, rotation or minutes." -- Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, when asked if he would have any difficulty in establishing his starting lineup and substitution pattern once the regular season began.
