Here's another reason why, in this lost season with virtually no hope of a playoff run, the kids need to play a lot, and play together: The D(evelopment) of great *team* D(efense).

It's hard to argue that a Bled/EJ/Chief/Beast/DJ lineup is now or can soon expect to be better offensively than a more veteran lineup. But defensively? The jury's still out, but there's hope for a positive verdict.

As of right now, the Clippers are dreadful defensively, seemingly no matter what 5 players are out on the floor. And this exacerbates their offensive woes, since it means less chance for transition baskets and more time in their halfcourt sets. But I think the Club D lineup has a chance, with time and experience, to become a really disruptive defensive unit, which will also help them greatly on the offensive end, since these 5 players all have the speed and athleticism to get out and run.

We all know what DJ can do defensively when he's focused. Blake has actually been a bit disappointing defensively, though obviously he's got both the BBIQ and the physical tools to become a solid defender. Meanwhile, Bledsoe and Aminu are already better on-ball defenders than Davis and Gomes, and have made some plays here and there showing glimpses of what they could become with better understanding of team defensive concepts.

Now, this is not an attack on Fizzle or Flippy -- um, I mean the honorable Misters Davis and Kaman. I'm not saying they are worthless, or shouldn't start, or should be traded for pennies on the dollar. But I would like to see the Club D lineup out on the court together as much as possible, because the better they learn to work together on the defensive end, the better the long-term prospects for the franchise.