The Official Media Day Thread

[mkwest]

Lawler's Law 9/28/09

A big turnout Monday for the Clippers' 2009-10 Media Day at STAPLES Center in downtown Los Angeles.

The 18 players went through the obligatory picture taking, autograph signing and media schmoozing between 12 noon and about 3:00 pm. Local TV trucks were lined up outside the building and mic-toting reporters were everywhere.

Much of the attention, of course was centered on Blake Griffin, the college player of the year from Oklahoma who the Clippers tabbed as the first player chosen in the June NBA Draft. The personable 20-year-old rookie says he "Loves L.A." He noted that it was a "little bit bigger than Oklahoma City." I added, it’s a little bit bigger than Oklahoma!

Other tidbits: Coach Mike Dunleavy expressed pleasure at the players' overall level of conditioning. He really thinks that a healthy Clippers team can be in the playoff mix. The believes at least two of the eight spots in the West will be up for grabs this season.

New Assistant coach John Lucas is thrilled to be back in the league. He is especially high on what he’s seen of veteran point guard Baron Davis and 7-foot center Chris Kaman. Both Dunleavy and Lucas feel they can better utilize Baron’s enormous talent.

Davis himself looked more fit than he was at anytime last season. He claims total focus on the task at hand which is an absolute reversal of last season’s disaster.



Kaman has been in town for two months getting ready to rebound from last year, a season in which he missed 48-games because of injury. Chris is so happy to have access to the team’s new training center where he’s been scrimmaging 5-on-5 for the past two weeks. He says incoming power forward Craig Smith has been sensational in these scrimmages. Kaman thinks Smith and sweet shooting Rasual Butler were key off-season acquisitions.

I had brief "hellos" with returnees DeAndre Jordan, Marcus Camby, Al Thornton and Steve Novak. All are almost giddy in their excitement about the coming season.

Oh, and Craig Smith, who grew up in L.A., reminded me that he’s been listening to me since he was a little kid. Oh well, aside from that, it was a darn nice day.

Camp opens in Playa Vista with two-a-days on Tuesday.

Ralph Lawler, Clippers.com

Video Interviews:

Baron Davis Interview pt. 1
Baron Davis Interview pt. 2
Blake Griffin Interview pt. 1
Blake Griffin Interview pt. 2
Blake Griffin Interview pt. 3
Mike Dunleavy Interview

[mkwest]

Blake's Mailbag

How good do you think the duo of you and Eric Gordon can be?
Michael Rodriguez, Van Nuys, CA

Blake Griffin: I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. Eric’s a great player and he makes the game easier for guys like me, just because he’s so dangerous that teams have to concentrate on him quite a bit.

What do you hope your biggest accomplishment will be?
Jasmine C., Dallas, TX

BG: I hope that my biggest accomplishment will be to help the Clippers makes the playoffs this year.

Which player in the NBA do you look forward to playing against the most?
Jason, myClipper NATION

BG: I’m looking forward to playing against some of the marquee guys, you know, Dwight Howard, Lebron, Kobe Bryant and guys like that.

I hope I’ll hold up well, but those guys have been around for awhile and they’ve been pretty successful at what they do. I’m just looking forward to getting the opportunity to learn from them.

Full Q&A at Clippers.com

Blake Griffin just adds to Clippers' manpower

Chris Kaman was musing about how odd it was that Clippers rookie Blake Griffin doesn't necessarily have to be The Man.

At least not immediately.

"It's crazy you say that, right? But we won 19 games here and you would think he'd have to come here and have to be 'The Man,' " Kaman said Monday during the Clippers' media day at Staples Center. "And he doesn't. That sounds crazy to me. How can we have the struggle we had last year and have someone come in who is the first pick, and is who he is and not have to be The Man?

"It's almost disgusting to think about."

Then, of course, there's that small matter of the alleged Clippers curse of injuries and general bad luck. Naturally, those familiar with team lore wonder whether the power forward from Oklahoma can escape it.

Griffin joked that he investigated the matter after the Clippers drafted him and everyone kept asking him about it.

"I did some research on my own and there's not enough evidence for me to believe," Griffin said, smiling.

Apparently he still feels that way even after he injured his right shoulder in his third summer-league game in Las Vegas in July. Then there was the more recent mishap during an informal session when he went knee-on-knee with forward Craig Smith on Friday at the team's training facility.

Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said that Griffin had an MRI test on the knee and that no structural damage was found. Dunleavy thought it might require four to five days off, so it's not entirely clear what Griffin will be able to do, and not do, at practice Tuesday, when training camp opens.

Lisa Dillman, LA Times

Notes From Clippers Media Day
* Baron Davis looks fantastic, a shadow of his 2008 self. How did he get in such good shape over the summer?

“Crack,” Davis said in jest, before attributing his svelte physique to a summer regimen that had him either in the gym or in Asia — both sure-fire ways to drop LBs.

Nobody professes to be more excited about Davis’ conditioning than Mike Dunleavy. “At times last season I thought — because of conditioning — that he got tired and settled for too many 3-point shots,” Dunleavy said. “I’ve been in the gym with him and he’s worked all summer.”

* When asked how he’d respond if he were consigned to the second unit as the proverbial “energy guy off the bench,” Al Thornton took a long, long, long pause, as if he’d never even considered the prospect that such a thing were even possible. Al Thornton is probably the most agreeable, chill, easy-going personality you’ll come into contact with in the Clippers’ locker room, but he’s still a competitor and the idea of not starting was greeted with consternation. A resigned sigh followed that lengthy pause and then, after a false start or two, Al, like a child being forced to apologize to his sibling, said that he’d accept the role if it were truly for “the betterment of the team.”

Kevin Arnovitz, ClipperBlog

Clippers Media Day Notebook

*Davis refused to set any specific individual goals for the season. "[Winning] should take care of itself. If you work hard and you have fun and you form that chemistry and then winning is the end result. We're going to work as hard as we possibly can to put ourselves in a position to be successful. You can't think win and then work backwards. You have to put the work in first and then the winning will come."

*For the first time in a number of years, the tendinitis in Ricky Davis is under control. He underwent a special "plasma therapy" treatment that moved his own active white blood cells to the affected area. Midseason his inflamed tendon was three times the size of the healthy one. He's in good spirits and hopes to be a contributor. Both Kaman and Mardy Collins underwent the same treatment for their foot issues and are said to be healthy as well.

*Thornton got a personal chef in order to take care of his body. He spent much of the summer nursing his shoulder back to health and was just tested at 100% in past week to 10 days.

*Dunleavy has seen Baron work and improve his shooting this summer. He'll give Davis the system and latitude to run, attack the rim and/or draw and kick to his teammates.

Eric Pincus, HoopsWorld

Media Day Schmedia Day
*On the whole "What kind of physical shape is Baron in?" question, he looks great. Much trimmer than last season - I mean, a big difference. Coach said he's 10 pounds lighter.

*Chris Kaman is an odd-ball, but I must say he is refreshing. Every other Clipper was in full-on Crash Davis 'interview' mode - answering questions safely, without revealing much of anything. Kaman just doesn't work that way. He says what he's thinking, and doesn't really consider how it sounds. Example: when asked about minutes distribution at the big spots, almost anyone else would talk about how it's not a problem, how there will be plenty of minutes for everyone, how he's not worried. Kaman said, "Yeah, it's a big problem, I don't know how coach is going to handle it."

Steve Perrin, Clips Nation

Mike Dunleavy says the lineup is wide open, but will start camp with last year's starters: Davis, Gordon, Thornton, Kaman, Camby

Michael Eaves via Twitter

At Clipper media day, an in shape Baron Davis said - we're gonna play Fast, real fast.
Ralph Lawler via Twitter

DeAndre Jordan speaks on the upcoming season

[mattfish]

Good stuff. I'm getting amped up for this season! Why can't it start already??

[jflipclip]

The Chris Kaman pictures are hilarious.

[clipperfan4life]

If only Baron Davis shaved...the pictures would've looked a lot more attractive!

[BoomFizzle]

Wow, Baron looks like a bum. He seriously needs to tidy his beard up a bit. Good to hear he is in good shape. I will believe it when I see it. Wasn't he supposed to be in great shape entering last season?

Nice to hear about Ricky too.

[clipperfan4life]

Oh and by the way where did you find those pictures? I was wondering if there's anymore...thanks!

[mattfish]

Next to Camby and Kaman, BG looks like he'll be able to keep up physically with NBA power forwards and centers. Looks stronger than both of them and almost as tall, too.

[JJ LoDuca]

Woah.....any further references to Baron's Beard need to be capitalized- that thing has morphed into a proper noun over the offseason. Holy cow.

[donemilio21]

Baron must have joined an islamic cult when he was in asia!!

[thanumba2clippersfan]

Baron needs a hair cut, if he wants I can hook him up.

Besides that I'm pleased with what I am hearing about the team this off season. I do think it's stupid to name last year's starters as the starters right now. I do believe our first pre season game is on Sunday, hopefully we will be able to watch it

[clippermitch]

Kaman looks good. His arms are more defined than before. Hopefully he can stay healthy and be a factor this year. If nothing else he can at least raise his trade value!

[mkwest]

Coach Mike Dunleavy


Assistant Coach Kim Hughes


Assistant Coach John Lucas


Assistant Coach Fred Vinson


PF - Taj Gray


G - Anthony Roberson


G - Jerel McNeal


G/F - Kareem Rush


G/F - Ricky Davis


F/C - Brian Skinner


G/F - Mardy Collins


F - Steve Novak


PG - Sebastian Telfair


F/C - DeAndre Jordan


F/C - Craig Smith


G/F - Rasual Butler


F/C - Marcus Camby


C - Chris Kaman


PF - Blake Griffin


SF - Al Thornton


SG - Eric Gordon


PG - Baron Davis

[thanumba2clippersfan]

Nice find MK

Baron looks ripped

[TheNewEra]

Eric Gordon always looks like he is caught off guard when taking pictures lol

[mike3]

Eric Gordon always looks like he is caught off guard when taking pictures lol

Haha he so does, nice find with all the photos whoever got them

[mkwest]

Oh and by the way where did you find those pictures? I was wondering if there's anymore...thanks!

Most of them are from yahoo and the others were from some dude's flickr account.

[TheNewEra]

Kaman and his goals for this season: http://www.latimes.com/videobeta/watch/ ... &src=front

Nice to see the confidence at the end hopefully that leads to a more aggressive Kaman when he needs to be.

[mkwest]

Kaman and his goals for this season: http://www.latimes.com/videobeta/watch/ ... &src=front

Nice to see the confidence at the end hopefully that leads to a more aggressive Kaman when he needs to be.

haha he sounded like AI for a minute. I hope he's healthy the majority of the season. He's going to get criticism until he can play consistently throughout a whole season. 2 years ago when he was playing like an all-star, he had practically no help. He was constantly double and triple teamed and the guards did not make his shots any easier. He had like 3 easy baskets all year. So it was more than just "he was the only big man, so that's why he scored." He literally worked hard and was impressive. If he can get back to that type of play and keep it up for 70 games, then we'll be looking really good. No more Mr. Flippy.

[scratch21]

Heres a lil video of Blake. its kind of stupid but thought id share


http://thebiglead.com/?p=22874