Clippers Set For Turn Around

by moKi on Feb 5, 2009 11:39 PM PST

What games have I been watching?

Yes. The same ugly, awful, disgusting games you have.

So why am I posting a laughable headline stating that the Clippers are set to turn things around?

Logic.

My brain refuses to believe that the Clippers will stay as bad as they are now. How can they? Sure some teams hit the bottom and then stay there, but it's usually because they are injury riddled and have very little talent. But isn't that who the Clippers are now?

No. Step back from the ledge, Clipper Nation.

Baron sucks. Dunleavy sucks.

Ok. I get it. You want one or both to leave town - pronto. But we all know that's not going to happen. So what does happen?

Moki's Fabulous Prediction for the Rest of This Clipper Season

However much you hate Dunleavy and think he's awful, I sincerely don't believe he doesn't care about winning. If he didn't care about winning, why would he wear his soles out pacing back and forth for every single minute of the game shouting out plays and fouls to players and refs? If he didn't care wouldn't he just stay with one starting lineup and not change players according to matchups?

Dunleavy, through his actions, shows too much effort to be a guy that is content with losing. He wants to win.

So that being said, just go with me here.

The Clippers have a coach who wants to win and is putting forth effort trying to come up with some. Just a couple of weeks ago the Clippers were a rag tag bunch of no names competing with heart and determination, coming very close to winning against some very good teams.

The bench was empty, except for Jones and Samb who just joined the team and didn't know any plays or have any time to practice. I think Dunleavy did a decent job in those games, keeping them close and did a tremendous job managing minutes between the 7 to 9 guys he had at any given moment.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I like him or the way he coaches. That is not my point.

My point is HE WANTS TO WIN.

That being said, as Mardy and Mike come back at point, Dunleavy will give them more minutes than Baron Davis if he thinks he has a better chance of winning with them.

I believe in his mind his job is to win. It is not his job to make Baron happy.

So, the Clippers will start getting better from here on out (baring more injuries of course). They will be more competitive and actually start winning some games.

Marcus Camby wants to win. Eric Gordon wants to win. I see it in their demeanor. It's who they are.

I also see it in Dunleavy.

Logic tells me that the Clippers are set for a big turn around. Don't be surprised if things start looking up with the return of Collins, Taylor and Kaman.

So what happens to Baron? I think there are only two things that can happen.

1. He gets with Dunleavy's program and figures out how to make it work.

2. He doesn't put forth the effort needed and gets benched/limited minutes. If he's unhappy with that he may claim his back hurts (ala Al Harrington while he wanted to be traded) and take himself out.

I don't think he can be traded this season. I don't think they would buy him out or waive him. I don't think Dunleavy would be fired to get a coach the would "fit" Baron better this season either.

So suck it up, stop dreaming of a new coach and get ready for better Clippers basketball as the season closes. With or without Baron.

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Comments

I hear ya

Did we bottom out in Orlando? One would certainly hope.

BD can’t continue to play the way he has and not get reduced playing time, or force the team to proclaim him injured in order to bench him.

The problem is that Baron has been able to get away with his lackluster play for this long, who’s to say it can’t continue?

I like the fact that Dunleavy cares, but it seems like maybe he should try something different considering the results he’s seen so far.

by ghost_ride on Feb 6, 2009 12:45 AM PST reply actions

Every coach wants to win

The players want to win, too, and I agree the Clippers probably will play better after the AS break even without a coaching change. But being the 20th worst team instead of the absolute worst team isn’t enough. That only means we would finish as one of the worst teams but not quite bad enough for a top draft pick.

Dunleavy has shown he isn’t going to change his strategy no matter how bad things get. With that close minded attitude, this team is not going to ever really buy into his strategy because they don’t believe in it. Frustration will continue to build, and we’ll all wait for the hammer to drop.

Suffering through a year and a half of Dunleavy as a lame duck coach would just be too cruel to endure, and I just don’t see him getting past lame duck status with this team. If they are tuning him out this year, just think what next year would bring. Since we seem to have now hit rock bottom, this is the best possible time for a new coach to enter the picture with a mandate to develop a game plan that fits these particular players.

by ClipCat on Feb 6, 2009 9:12 AM PST reply actions

No one is saying that Dunleavy doesn’t want to win. His job DOES depend on the teams success, although, I’m not so sure anymore considering he has not yet been fired.

by cliptakular on Feb 6, 2009 9:44 AM PST reply actions

Clipper fans are not known to have the best logical abilities

…..and this proves it.

by Newton Pham on Feb 6, 2009 10:04 AM PST reply actions

Haha

Logic – Clipper Fan. Yeah, my logic is definitely twisted. Why are you here? :)

by moKi on Feb 6, 2009 12:19 PM PST up reply actions

Nobody doubts Dunleavy's desire to win

We just doubt his ability to sell a system that does not seem to work for the players. I have seen far too many offensive sets that have no effort, movement or intelligence behind them. If the players do not understand the plays, it is Dunleavys fault. If the players are not willing to follow the plays, it is Dunleavys fault. I don’t doubt that he has good intentions, its just that he is unable to motivate the team to excel. If a coach is not respected by the players, it is time for a new coach to bring a fresh outlook to the game. If our team is destined to suck, we need to make sure the fans are entertained. Dunleavy has no grasp of this concept and has to go – soon.

by citizen bob on Feb 6, 2009 2:30 PM PST reply actions

smokin crack

I watched every game Baron played for the Warriors the previous few years and there is nothing wrong with Baron, he just hates the system.

Dunleavy is not going to change. Things will not get better this year.

Dunleavy will be replaced before next season starts. It is easier to replace him than Baron.

by warriorsvictim on Feb 6, 2009 3:59 PM PST reply actions

Every coach wants to win a basketball game.

but Dunleavy just sucks

by highriser on Feb 6, 2009 4:21 PM PST reply actions

The folks at Clips Nation need to realize that this is a complex issue.

There are already very few Clipper fans, and now we are dividing ourselves up into rival camps. I appreciate your view of it moKi; I definitely haven’t heard it before. However, I can no longer stand to read comments that are placing all of the blame on Dunleavy or all on Baron. The assertion that Baron’s terrible play is due to the system entirely is ridiculous. Baron’s shooting 35% from the field and he looks like he’s barely trying. That said, it is defintely not all Baron either. Dunleavy’s system is not conducive to a guy who is known for running up and down the court. Dunleavy the GM should have consulted with Dunleavy the coach before signing this guy for $65 million.

Anyways, I’m getting really sick of trying to examine what it is that’s wrong with the Clippers. There are so many forces at work here that I am starting to fall into that “It’s the Clippers” trap.

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished by how much he'd learned in seven years." -Mark Twain

by WestsideBrandon on Feb 6, 2009 4:54 PM PST reply actions

I know I'm crazy

My logic doesn’t make sense to most people.

But I stand by it. I think the Clippers cannot play any worse and they are going to improve with Dunleavy AND Baron.

People keep ranting that Dunleavy needs to go. I understand. Sometimes I feel that way too.

But REALISTICALLY I don’t see Sterling cutting Dunleavy this season. And the only way I see him firing him next season is if the Clippers continue to lose horribly from here on out. I DO NOT see that happening.

I thought the turn around might start in the next couple of weeks, maybe right before AS break but who knows, after tonight’s win maybe it starts now.

I’m tired of complaining. I still watch Eric Gordon in amazement. I still can’t believe Novak’s shooting. I think the pre injury Marcus is coming back and I like seeing his blocks. Zach and Ricky were amazing tonight and it just shows that WITH effort this team can be decent. Decent.

So I’m gonna hope there are no more injuries and enjoy the rest of the season for what it is. EG for ROY!

by moKi on Feb 6, 2009 9:10 PM PST reply actions

I get it...

And I like your approach.

I took a position yesterday saying I’d get rid of dunleavy if it was my decision. And i stand by that. I think it’s time for a change. Easy for me to say, right. It’s not my money.

But I don’t think that’s what’s going to happen. I think they’re both here until the end of the season. I think we all agree that Dunleavy works hard at his job and wants to succeed. The question is will their be enough urgency to perform well that these guys will get past any power struggle, if indeed that’s what is happening.

good win tonight. you’re looking prescient. What stock should I buy?

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 Steve Perrin on Feb 7, 2009 12:14 AM PST up reply actions

Haha

Man. I write an “I believe” post after THE worst loss of the year and this is what we get? Two Blowout Wins?! Darn! I should have wrote it two weeks ago! Haha.

Just a little tiny reward for being a die hard fan I guess…

Hope they keep it up! Tonight was fun! Good to see so many smiles on the Clipper team and coaches…

Stocks? Buy Apple in a month…

by moKi on Feb 7, 2009 7:27 PM PST up reply actions

I hope your right

but yeah after tonight it looks like we might be making a turnaround. As for logic, well we clips fans don’t have much or else we would have ditched the clips long ago for a team that won more often but we are still here.
Who knows maybe the clips saw something in themselves in this win and maybe they remembered what it feels like to win again and actually try hard and put forth effort the rest of the way.

by bestclipfan on Feb 6, 2009 9:13 PM PST reply actions