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NBA.com: As we talk, you're fresh off a bruising spill at Philadelphia -- Elton Brand put you down hard with a flagrant type 1 foul. It sounded afterward like he was afraid of the alternative. Brand said, "Everyone sees his dunks on ESPN highlights every day. So I didn't want him to get a nice dunk on our team and get his team pumped up." How are you feeling, about 18 hours later?

Blake Griffin: I'm all right. I'm all right. You just have to keep going. It's nothing that will slow me down.

NBA.com: People talk about the Clippers' losing culture and how, no matter how many high Draft picks they get or how many talented players they employ, things never really work out there. What is it like from the inside there? What have you found, in terms of the "losing culture?"

BG: Uh, just keep working. Keep learning and keep encouraging. Try to keep being a good teammate. That's really all you can do. It will come around eventually. The big thing is, we're improving every day. I like the direction that we're heading, even though we haven't quite gotten over that hump.

NBA.com: I've always thought that, for the Clippers, sharing Staples Center with the Lakers must be like having a roommate who has a much more interesting and fun life. How does it feel being with L.A.'s "other" NBA team?

BG: The way I see it, the Clippers are my team, the Lakers are the other team. I'm not really worried about what they do. They're not my concern. My biggest concern is trying to win games and keep learning throughout the season.

NBA.com: What do you like most about living in Los Angeles? You're not going to say the weather, are you?

BG: Definitely the weather. And being close to the beach. There's always plenty to do.

NBA.com