2008 LA Clippers Basketball Predictions & NBA Season Preview

Written October 9, 2008 by Luke Knight

The Clippers are going to look a little different this season. Corey Maggette and Elton Brand are gone. Baron Davis and Marcus Camby were signed in the offseason. Also signed in the off season was Ricky Davis. Coach Mike Dunleavy will have to figure out how to re-create chemistry on his team with the departure of his two best players. Keep reading to find out if we think Mike Dunleavy and the Clippers will be successful this season. Shoot over to BetUS where the Clippers are +3000 odds to win the Western Conference this season.

Baron Davis will be the point guard. He averaged 21.8 points per game and 7.6 assists. Davis played an average of 39.0 minutes a game, but has a reputation recently of being fragile despite playing all 82 games last season. Davis would have been a great addition to Elton Brand, but the show must go on. The Clippers picked up Jason Williams in the offseason and got rid of Brevin Knight for Jason Hart to get a solid backup. Jason Williams averaged 8.8 points per game last season in 28.1 minutes per game and will likely be the primary backup.

Cuttino Mobley averaged 12.8 points per game last season, which was his lowest total since his rookie year. Eric Gordon, rookie draft pick out of Indiana, will get time off the bench. Gordon was inconsistent in summer league, but fled Indiana after only a year so he is young and has promise to be a big time scorer. Ricky Davis could also see time here.

Al Thornton will get the starting nod at small forward. Thornton averaged 12.7 points per game playing both forwards positions. Thornton scored a rookie franchise high 39 points late in the season, the most in a single game by any rookie last season. He made the All-rookie first team. Thornton was a little harsher giving himself a C when asked to grade his season. He needs to be more consistent and he knows it. Tim Thomas could get some minutes here, as the Clippers are paying him too much to let him set and he did have similar stats to Thornton. Ricky Davis will be the primary backup here. Davis is flashy at times, but is inconsistent and has a reputation of an uncoachable hothead.

Marcus Camby was brought in from Denver. Camby’s offensive numbers are not good, in fact the Lakers practically dared him to shoot in the playoffs last season, Camby did, the results were miserable. But to be fair, Camby is and always has been a defensive specialist. He led the league in shot blocking last season with 3.61 blocks per game and was 2nd in rebounds with 13.1 rebounds per game. Camby is a tough player and the Clippers need some of that to rub off on the rest of the team. Camby was traded to the Clippers for nothing, and he is upset about it, as he should be. Thornton could spend some time here also. Tim Thomas will probably also pick up some minutes here as well. The Clippers will need a backup who can score points when Camby is not on the floor.

Chris Kaman came out hot for the first two months, but then he got injured and missed 26 games. Kaman looked to be a sure all-star and looked like he’d average 20-and-10. Instead Kaman finished with 15.7 points and 12.7 rebounds. Good stats, but not at the level he started out. The Clippers are excited to have Kaman and Camby on the court together, because it gives them a big front line. Kaman played in the Olympics for Germany, so there is some worry that he will wear down. Camby can move over to replace Kaman some. Brian Skinner will also get some quality minutes behind Kaman.

Final Analysis

The Clippers lost some big pieces with the departure of Brand and Maggette, but brought in Baron Davis, Marcus Camby, and Ricky Davis. Marcus Camby brings a level of defense to this team that instantly makes it better. Baron Davis is a tough point guard as long as he stays healthy. Al Thornton should be better in his second year, and hopefully can at least up his grade to a B. The offseason moves should end up with the Clippers coming out ahead, and who knows if they are done. If the chemistry comes together with these guys, they will be tough. We have them finishing 3rd in the Pacific Division behind the Lakers and the Suns and ahead of the Warriors and the Kings. The Clippers should compete for a playoff spot. If nothing else, they should be better than the 23-win season last year. BetUS has them at +5000 odds of winning the NBA Championship this season. This team could surprise some people so they will be one to watch on a nightly basis.

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