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By J.A. Adande | ESPN.com
LOS ANGELES -- Marcus Camby did something I'm not sure I've seen before. It wasn't just that he was still hustling, giving everything he had in another losing cause in another hopeless Clippers season. It was the way he did it, tapping a ball to keep it alive, then saving it back onto the court, all while falling backward out of bounds. We've all seen the over-the-shoulder saves. Even behind-the-back saves. I can't recall seeing a tap-while-falling-backward save.
"At that point I was just out there scrapping," Camby said. "We were in a rut a little bit, shots weren't falling for us, we weren't getting stops. I was just trying to get us an extra possession."
It resulted in a pair of free throws for Al Thornton. The Staples Center crowd gave Camby a standing ovation. Lately, with Baron Davis, Chris Kaman and Zach Randolph injured, and promising guard Eric Gordon subject to the ups and down of rookiedom, Camby is the only player who regularly justifies the cost of a ticket.
He leads the league in rebounding and is second in blocked shots.
The fact that he puts up such big numbers in stats that belong on the hustle board is a testament to him. No one in the NBA is working harder under more depressing circumstances.
He didn't want to get traded from Denver in the first place, but was sent to Los Angeles for next to nothing in a cost-cutting move by the Nuggets. Then the Clippers turned out to be much worse than he or anyone else could have expected. And just to add insult to injury (Camby's, inevitably?) the Nuggets have become even better since they traded for Chauncey Billups.
None of it has deterred Camby.
"I only know how to play one way, and that's all-out," Camby said. "I love to go out there and play, most importantly I love to go out and compete. The chips are down right now. We're missing a lot of key components, but me being a veteran on this team, a lot of young guys look up to me, so I just try to lead by example."
If the young Clippers didn't notice Camby's hustle on the floor Wednesday night, they could look in the box score and see his 18 rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals to go with 12 points.
It seems like there should be some reward for Camby's effort. Aren't 13.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game worth a trip to Phoenix for the All-Star Game?
"No, not with 8-30," Camby said. "No."
He'll have to settle for the gratitude of a handful of Clippers fans and a nation of fantasy basketball owners.
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Count me right up there among the fans most grateful for this guy.
It's not only his marvellous blocks, and his sterling succession of double doubles that include amazing numbers of rebounds --- numbers which almost leave his steals and assists overlooked in game reports but not unappreciated here.
It's also his playing night after night with such total heart and commitment. He gives it all, and you can't doubt that watching him play.
As well, he is constantly doing those useful little things that will never show up in the stat lines, but which make a real difference to the team. Who ever talks about his outlet passes --- and yet they are invariably a thing of beauty.
I never took much interest in Camby other years, even though my son was telling me how great he was and how he was a Defensive Player of the Year. Now I'm sorry I haven't been watching him closely all along ---- my big loss. He's a real joy. I'm just so glad he's been playing for the Clippers this year and I've had a chance to see him and value him this way.
Thank you, Marcus Camby.
p.s. He leads the league in rebounds and is second only to Dwight Howard in blocks.
I came across this chart at nba.com:
http://www.nba.com/statistics/player/Re ... 1&splitDD=
and this one:
http://www.nba.com/statistics/player/Bl ... 1&splitDD=
