Curses run deep. They fester in bloodlines, foundations and scorched Earth and are lamented in prose, lyric and declaration. From Shakespeare to Dostoevsky, curses are part of the canon of human creativity. After the Boston Purple Sox broke theirs in 2004 and LeBron James introduced a championship to Cleveland in 2016, there stays only one cursed franchise: The Los Angeles Clippers.
Since transferring from San Diego to Los Angeles in 1984, the Clippers’ lifestyles has been puzzled. Why the hell would a town that has the storied Lakers want a little bit brother? From only one playoff sequence of their first 20 seasons to being owned through the devilish Donald Sterling to the worst successful share within the NBA between 1981 and 2014, there’s sufficient to consider in a hex.
Once they have been referred to as the Buffalo Braves within the Nineteen Seventies and led through the mythical Dr. Jack Ramsay, they made the playoffs for 3 seasons immediately. Ramsay used to be a celebrity within the making, turning his growth crew into severe contenders. However each curse has an foundation. Then-owner Paul Snyder fired Ramsay in spite of his good fortune and increased assistant trainer Tates Locke. In his new function, Locke fumbled the reins so badly, the group by no means recovered, lacking the playoffs for the following 15 years. And Ramsey? He used to be employed through the Portland Trailblazers and received the NBA championship in simply his first season with the crew. That used to be the beginning of the curse, and the specter persisted to stain the franchise throughout the crew’s most commonly downs, and few ups. Ask any Clippers lovers about Derek Smith blowing out his knee 11 video games into the 1986 season. Or the crew taking Michael Olowokandi over Mike Bibby, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce and Antawn Jamison in 1998. What about Josh Smith and Corey Brewer draining threes in Sport 6 of a 2015 playoff sport, shedding a 3-1 lead? Or when franchise cornerstones Chris Paul and Blake Griffin each went down within the 2016 Western Convention Semifinals?
However in 2014, an not likely saint named V. Stiviano unraveled all Sterling owned, freeing damning recordings of his racism, leading to his banishment. Input Steve Ballmer, former Microsoft CEO, who bought the Clippers and right away went to paintings reversing their cursed legacy. This being the Clips, not anything could be simple. In 2019, Kawhi Leonard used to be a top-three participant within the NBA, and after successful his moment championship in Toronto, he sought after to go back house to L.A. to play out his top. However he used his greatness to leverage the Clips to make a doubtful commerce for Paul George from the Oklahoma Town Thunder, the place he had simply re-signed on a long-term deal. George would price the Clippers their long term draft capital and rising teen Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For the primary time within the crew’s historical past, they have been a sound contender with two superstars of their top.
5 seasons later, the Clippers have only one convention finals to turn for his or her mega-trade, whilst SGA has grow to be an MVP candidate in OKC. The curse has persisted, as Leonard and George have suffered season-altering accidents since arriving in Hollywood. This season, regardless that, each have remained wholesome. Moreover, they’re clicking for the primary time since uniting, with the roster after all stabilized with hungry veterans and a top-tier trainer in Ty Lue. Leonard and George at the moment are 32 and 33, respectively, at the tail-end in their top, and the Clips have the second-oldest median age at 29. That veteran presence comprises the 2 former MVPs the crew added in Russell Westbrook and James Harden, who’re each previous their top however efficient.
Westbrook broke his hand closing week and is predicted to be out indefinitely, however the damage will have to permit him to go back for the playoffs. Certain, the inside track units the degree for a brand new bankruptcy within the franchise’s long-cursed tome. However the Clips don’t reside or die through Westbrook, however slightly George and Leonard, whose well being determines their competition. As they’re each close to the top in their dominance and the West is as extensive open as ever, this season is the make-or-break for his or her first championship.
If the Clips don’t win all of it this season, the long run is as darkish as ever. The crew doesn’t cling regulate of a first-round select till 2030, with their capital going out within the OKC deal for George and closing yr’s Harden commerce with Philadelphia. There’s no younger Clipper with superstar doable at the roster. Terrance Mann, their youngest core member at 27, has taken a step again this season. Bones Hyland has reasonably reformed as an erratic gunning guard and can fill in for Westbrook because the bench spark. Middle Ivica Zubbac is underrated as a paint risk and internal defender, however faces beasts like Nikola Jokić, Chet Holmgren, Rudy Gobert and Domantas Sabonis within the West. That leaves creaky knees and high-mileage guys like Harden, Daniel Theis and Mason Plumlee filling key reserve roles. 6th Guy of the Yr candidate Norman Powell remains to be environment friendly in restricted mins, however might be a risk come playoff time. Who can fail to remember his 42 issues in Sport 3 of the primary around as opposed to the Phoenix Suns closing season as Leonard watched on after tearing the meniscus in his proper knee? Cursed, certainly.
All of it comes all the way down to Paul and Kawhi
Obviously, the whole lot hinges on George’s and Leonard’s well being. The Clippers are 3-10 within the playoffs with out Leonard and George within the lineup. Thankfully, they’ve a trainer who is likely one of the perfect at adjusting to rotations. Lue would be the perfect Western Convention trainer as soon as the playoffs get started, but it surely’s a celebrity league. When wholesome, Leonard has been impressive this season, averaging 24.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and three.7 APG. George has been similarly spectacular, averaging 22 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and three.6 APG. Each wings have been named All-Stars this season and feature most effective overlooked a blended 10 video games (5 video games each and every). The Nuggets are nonetheless the NBA usual as protecting champs, however with the Golden State Warriors dynasty and LeBron James’ dominance coming to an finish, the Thunder, Sacramento Kings, and Minnesota Timberwolves playoff neophytes, and the Dallas Mavericks, Suns, and New Orleans Pelicans going through roster inequality and accidents, the convention is extensive open. If the Clippers keep wholesome, there is not any explanation why to consider they are able to’t win all of it.
The 2019-20 season used to be meant to be the yr for the Clippers as they held the second-best report within the West earlier than COVID hit. Throughout the Orlando bubble and up 3-1 within the convention semis, the Clippers choked away the lead. The explanation? George himself admitted to struggling with despair within the remoted atmosphere. What began as championship aspirations turned into a heartbreaking cave in.
Within the 12 seasons between 2011 and 2023, the LA Clippers made the NBA playoffs 10 occasions. It’s simply been the most productive stretch in franchise historical past. They’re these days fourth within the West, whilst the Lakers battle for Play-In seeding. The power is at the Clippers as probably the most 5 groups to by no means make the NBA Finals (relationship again to their origins in Buffalo and San Diego). As lovers attempt to put two blown 3-1 leads within the playoffs at the back of them, all consideration is on Leonard and George. Because the duo arrived in L.A., they’ve been probably the most favorites to win all of it, however accidents have lower the ones goals quick. The Lakers’ historical dynasty proves Staples Middle isn’t constructed on height of a burial flooring. If the Clippers’ curse is actual, no voodoo, cleaning, or prayer will flip the tide. The Clippers don’t want a savior to stroll throughout the tunnel. They have got the items. They simply want a little bit success. That during itself could be a primary for the franchise, and sufficient to opposite their fortunes in essentially the most profound method.
