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(To Ducler: I'm taking this one. Please post your picture info via reply)

Blake Griffin. The Flying Lion. Flight 32. Slam Dunk Champion. Rookie Of The Year. All-Star. MVP candidate. Savior?

The Clippers were once at the helm of sports laughingstocks. Donald Sterling acquired a once promising franchise from Irv Levin and turned it into a death sentence, the place where careers went to die. Enter the 2009 NBA Draft and the Clippers selecting the Oklahoma City Sooner no. 1 overall. Immediately, Griffin's rookie season was lost after a fractured kneecap in a preseason game, pointing to another example of the Clipper Curse, caused by bringing in an evil owner who helped Dr. Jerry Buss buy the Los Angeles Lakers, their Big Brother and NBA's Golden Child, the NBA's version of the Curse Of The Bambino.

The next year, Griffin caught the league by storm. With his penchant for highlight reel plays like posters and alley-oops, the Clippers became Must-See-BG. Every dunk an earthquake, every lob-jam a trampoline, Griffin made it his mission to put the Clippers on the map. His showstopping numbers caught the eye of David Stern, and following the Laker's flameout to the Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Playoffs, probably as punishment, he screwed the Lakers out of a Chris Paul trade, opting to send him to the Lakers Red-Headed Step Child instead. The pairing of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin elevated the Clippers fortunes to newer heights, including double the playoff appearances since their Buffalo Brave days, their first-ever Pacific Division banner, and the banishment of the evil Donald Sterling. Griffin will forever be enshrined in Clippers lore as the birth of a new era in their troubled nation. But today, the Clippers see their no. 1 pick as the enemy.

Two of the greatest faults from Doc Rivers as coach is distraction and personal relationships. He sent Tim Duncan back to San Antonio all because he wouldn't allow The Big Fundamental to bring his family with him on their team trips, citing distraction to his championship quest. He didn't want Rajon Rondo traded to the Pelicans because he feared Monty Williams will be getting a malcontent and lose his friendship. He didn't want to trade for Carmelo Anthony, a superstar small forward that could have finally given the Clippers a True Big 3, because he didn't want to give up his former Celtic in Paul Pierce, the closest thing to a Kobe Bryant in Jamal Crawford, and his own son Austin. Seeing how Blake Griffin's Pistons are in the lottery, Doc Rivers may try to tank this game to help Detroit get themselves back into the playoff race.

For the Clippers to win this game, Doc Rivers must not let emotions get in the way of business. Griffin made the Clippers relevant, yes, but that's in the past. The Clippers have an opponent to beat; the playoffs are within their grasp. Making it could go a long way into recruiting a superstar (or two, or three) and fixing their reputation within the league. The Clippers weakest link, who already employs his former Celtic Avery Bradley on the starting lineup, may try to jeopardize the game in the name of loyalty: "I'd rather lose with Bradley than win without him."

Can Doc hold back his emotions?

down by 13 after1

this has the makings of a popular thread

So Doc's preferred stale starting lineup with the net-negative Avery Bradley spots the Pistons a big lead, but then a lineup with Wallace and Shai--both of whom every fan wants to play more--gets us right back into the game. And we're supposed to believe that Doc knows what he's talking about? Please.

Ranma wrote:Jamal Crawford, Austin Rivers and now Avery Bradley. All three are players capable of contributing to an NBA team, but Doc has a tendency to misuse them when such players are given preferential treatment. Remember when he gave favored status to not so capable players like Byron Mullens, Jeff Green, Antawn Jamison, Josh Smith and Paul Pierce?

The BS coming from Doc this morning during his press conference is particularly pungent. I guess we now know where Austin gets his self-delusions from and it's from Daddy Doc.

Oh, something's pungent here all right.



D'Antoni is using Austin exactly as Papa Doc did.

Jamal was a 2-time 6MOY as a Clipper.

And Jeff Green is starting.