Expectations still low

by citizen zhiv on Sep 29, 2008 5:11 PM PDT

Not sure what's going on with media day and the opening of training camp and the new practice facility, although it's not exactly stealing headlines from either the Lakers or the financial collapse of the US.

I do note that Mr. Stein has the Clippers at #19 in the preseason power rankings, one spot ahead of the Warriors and one spot below the Nuggets. The Sixers, "undisputed winners of the offseason," are at #8.

And here's Stein's Clipper comment:

"Not nearly as down on the Clips' chances as the departing Maggette, who claims homecoming king Baron Davis is "in for a rude awakening." Not ready to say this new team of newsmakers can make the playoffs, either."

Thanks for the helpful quote, Maggs. Another strike against you and your Warrior future, but who's keeping track.

Gee, that's big of you Stein, that you're not so down on the Clips' chances.

But this is how it's going to be for awhile. Don't look for any bright spots from the Clips until the preseason starts--and if anything, it will be probably be frustrating as guys get banged up, following on the Jason Williams thing.

I have to say that I'm a little surprised that Baron Davis, Marcus Camby and some of the others don't seem to be getting much in the way of respect. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Maggette and Brand suddenly seem to be all-stars and game changers for other teams, when they were unable to get the Clippers over the top, and they aren't going to especially stacked teams.

But maybe that's just me. Patience to get started and see how things gel is wearing a bit thin.

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I too was thinking about Stein's opinion

Where would you rank the Clippers now?

by Jax on Sep 29, 2008 5:40 PM PDT 0 recs

On paper we are much better than 76's

We own the PG, SF and C positions. We are really close in the SG and PF positions. We have a deeper bench. AI is not a shooting guard as he doesn’t know how to shoot. EB is an overpaid undersized PF with questionable morals who is exeptional only in his consistency. If he thinks he will get less double teams with Dalemburt as his partner, he is delusional. If Philly is 8 and we are better than them, maybe the challenge of making the playoffs will be easier than expected. I would take the current BD over the best EB any day of the week.

by citizen bob on Sep 29, 2008 9:17 PM PDT 0 recs

Hang on there...

Let’s not forget that pesky ol’ Conference problem. Philly is in the East, LA in the West. Better has nothing to do with it. The Sixers have to be better than the Nets and the Bucks. The Clippers have to be better than the Nuggets and the Blazers.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by ClipperSteve on Sep 29, 2008 10:55 PM PDT up 0 recs

So you think we are underrated rather than Philly being overrated?

by Jax on Sep 30, 2008 9:16 AM PDT up 0 recs

Philly is the bigger stretch...

Stein’s disclaimer (“It is not — repeat, not — a predicted order of finish. How last season ended and how good a team is projected to be in 2008-09 are only part of the equation at this early stage. How each team fared with its summertime dealings factors in as well, along with the usual dash of totally subjective whim from the committee (of one)”) is tortured at best, nonsensical at worst. He’ll say, Philly had a great off-season, so they’re at 8. Well, Denver had a terrible off-season – shouldn’t they be 30 in that case? Which leaves us with subjectivity (and whims, I suppose). That’s cool. I like subjectivity. It’s one of my strong suits. I also like whimsicality.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by ClipperSteve on Sep 30, 2008 9:28 AM PDT up 0 recs

Hmm - is "whimsicality" an actual word?

by Jax on Sep 30, 2008 9:52 AM PDT up 0 recs

Yes

If you’re sufficiently whimsical.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by ClipperSteve on Sep 30, 2008 10:15 AM PDT up 0 recs

Just where we want them...

Forget the Philly thing. If Stein is right and Philly is the 8th best team in the NBA, better than the Jazz and the Suns and the Mavs, then I’ll… oh never mind what I’ll do, because he’s obviously not right.

And it’s strange indeed that 9 of his top 17 are from the East. In the Wizards blurb he references the “(no misprint) improving East” – so it’s not an accident. But what exactly is he basing this on? The Bucks, who won 26 games last season, lost three starters and added the second best player from a 36 win team, are suddenly better than the Nuggets and Warriors? Huh? Seems like the ‘rapid improvement’ of which he speaks is only in his mind aside from the Celtics.

But forget all that. His Western Conference predictions have the Blazers at 8, and the Nuggets, Clippers and Warriors bunched closely at 9, 10 and 11. I’ll accept that.

You think the Clippers will be better than the Nuggets? Well, maybe they will. But the Nuggets won 50 games last seasons while the Clippers won 23. Taking Marcus Camby off the Nuggets and putting him on the Clippers doesn’t come close to accounting for a 27 game swing. Obviously there’s much, much more to the Clippers puzzle – but it’s next to impossible to predict what’s going to happen. In the 70’s and 80’s in IT there was a saying – no one ever got fired for picking IBM. It was always a safe choice. Well, picking the Clippers to miss the playoffs is the safe choice.

And I’m happy with low expectations.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by ClipperSteve on Sep 29, 2008 11:10 PM PDT 0 recs

Agree 100%

by Jax on Sep 30, 2008 9:17 AM PDT up 0 recs

low expectations

means high levels of praise when we beat those expectations :)

by bestclipfan on Sep 30, 2008 9:35 AM PDT 0 recs

Lower the better...

We have a lot more talent on our roster than we’re getting credit for, but how it’s all going to fit is what should be tempering our expectations. If we can avoid an all out collapse, it should be an exciting year.

By the way, I’ve been thinking about buying some IBM…

by ghost_ride on Sep 30, 2008 10:46 AM PDT 0 recs

Stein's Thinking

Much better to have the expectations low: I think we’re all agreed. This isn’t so bad, and it doesn’t mean we can’t carve it up. And on top of all that, the Clips have started out a lot lower in the past and have obviously finished near the bottom many times before as well. So we’re used to it.

My view is that Stein worked carefully through the top teams in the East and West, and then he stuck a bunch of 2nd (Eastern) teams up ahead of the Nugs, Clips, and Warriors because 1) they’re going to end up with better records, because they’re in the East, and 2) most of them will make the playoffs, for the same reason. So it’s a safe play, just about as safe as it is to guess that something will go wrong with the Clips and they won’t make the playoffs.

The same thinking loosely applies that he won’t be able to blame himself for thinking that Portland might be pretty good and should be in front of the Eastern bubble. They gelled for awhile as underdogs last year, they have a good coach, a good GM stockpiliing solid young players, and Odom seems healthy. We would say, is that a better bet than all-star and playoff habitue (one of these days I’ll figure out how to do those accents) Baron Davis leading Camby, a ripening Kaman and Thornton, and some exciting new faces and a new dynamic.

The problem with Stein’s safe Eastern bloc bet is what happens when the West starts playing the 2nd tier teams in the East. The disparity probably isn’t that great, but it will ultimately show. At the end, however, you have the playoff teams and the lottery teams, and it finally does balance out.

Should be very interesting to see where the Clips are in those power rankings after that first tough month of the season. If they do fairly well, and they have a good share of home games in there, albeit very tough ones, they could make a nice splash.

by citizen zhiv on Sep 30, 2008 12:00 PM PDT 0 recs

Greg Odom?

by OhMeOhMy on Sep 30, 2008 12:54 PM PDT up 0 recs

or is it

Lamar Oden?

by saintdee on Sep 30, 2008 1:12 PM PDT up 0 recs

Oops

Have to appreciate any sticklers for accuracy.

by citizen zhiv on Sep 30, 2008 2:36 PM PDT up 0 recs

Didn't mean to stickle.

It was a playful jab. I agree with your post. One aspect I hadn’t considered was how the Bucks/Bulls/Wizards are put ahead of the Clips by virtue of (would-be) better records in the Leastern conference. I don’t agree with Stein’s rationale, but at least that part is now clear.

But the Nuggets are one spot in front? Really? I guess if Camby really was holding back that team, and following that logic, they managed to unload him unto the Clippers, then yes, they are the superior team. By the beard of Odin (Oden? Odom?), all questions will be answered soon enough, especially after that first tough month.

by OhMeOhMy on Sep 30, 2008 3:20 PM PDT up 0 recs