Clippers-Suns preseason: Wake me up when it's over

Wow, has preseason been ugly. It's just preseason of course, and preseason is preseason, but by the same token, ugly is ugly. I don't think players go into games trying to miss shots — even unimportant games. But the Clippers just aren't making shots this preseason — among a myriad of other problems, or course.

If it's all going to get magically better when the season starts, then please, by all means, bring on the season.

The Clippers are now the only team in the entire NBA with just one preseason win. Of course, playing without Chris Paul or Blake Griffin last night in Oakland against the Warriors tells you exactly how concerned Doc Rivers is about the win total (that is, not at all).

For what it's worth, tonight's opponent is Phoenix, owners of the best preseason record in the West. So if preseason is any real indication (which it's not) then this is a mismatch in favor of the Suns.

Of course Paul and Griffin will play tonight, putting the Clippers back closer to full strength. But the biggest deficiency this preseason has been the defense, and the biggest problem on defense has been stoping dribble penetration — so facing the Suns with their three-headed monster of a penetrating point guard (Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas) could get very, very ugly. I guess you could say it's a good test.

After tonight, there's one more preseason game Friday against the Trail Blazers. And then mercifully the exhibitions will be over and we can see if the problems are real or just a function of disinterest.