High expectations are nothing new for the Los Angeles Clippers. They’ve been considered championship contenders ever since Chris Paul was traded to L.A. almost four years ago.
But after four straight trips to the playoffs, a franchise first, the Clippers still have yet to make it out of the second round. There is a sense that this season will be different after the Clippers’ surprisingly productive offseason. They convinced DeAndre Jordan to change his mind and stay with the team, traded for Lance Stephenson and signed Paul Pierce, Josh Smith, Wesley Johnson, Cole Aldrich and Pablo Prigioni in free agency.
The Clippers will see how their revamped roster will fare on opening night (Oct. 28) when they travel to Sacramento to play the Kings before opening their home slate the next night against the team Jordan almost signed with in free agency -- the Dallas Mavericks. Here are five interesting games and storylines that were revealed on Wednesday after the NBA released the 2015-16 schedule.
Jordan won’t wait long to play the Mavericks
The Clippers open the season up in Sacramento but most will view their second game of the season, at home against the Mavericks, as the real start of the season. Jordan had the most infamous offseason of any player after committing to play for Dallas before changing his mind nearly a week later when Steve Ballmer, Doc Rivers, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Pierce came to his house and Houston and stayed until he re-signed with the team.
It was one of the strangest soap operas to ever play out in NBA free agency history and the emoji war it inspired made it one of the greatest days in NBA Twitter history. But Jordan’s decision has made him reviled in Dallas and created some bad blood with Mark Cuban, who never received a call from Jordan after he changed his mind, and Chandler Parsons, who personally recruiting Jordan and felt betrayed by his decision.
“He wasn't ready to be a franchise player. He was scared,” Parsons said of Jordan’s decision at the time. “He was scared to take the next step in his career. There was no other reason other than that he was comfortable and he has friendships there.”
The Clippers will play the Mavericks in Dallas for the first time on Nov. 11
“To be the man, you have to beat the man”
Before the Golden State Warriors were crowned champions last season, they were already the Clippers’ biggest rival. The Clippers beat them in seven games in the first round the previous season and only the Clippers' epic collapse against Houston in the second round last season after taking a 3-1 series lead prevented a rematch the Western Conference Finals. Quite simply, the two teams don’t like each other and if the Clippers want to prove they are legitimate contenders, they’re going to have to keep up with the rivals. They will get their first chance on Nov. 4 at Golden State before playing them at home on Nov. 19.
This Grammy trip sounds better
Last season, Rivers and several players on the team complained about the length of the team’s annual Grammy trip. The Clippers and Lakers, as well as the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, must vacate Staples Center in early February as the arena prepares to host the Grammy Awards. Staples Center is the only arena that houses two NBA teams and an NHL team, and that can cause scheduling quirks. One of those quirks for the Clippers caused them to play 10 games in 10 different cities in 16 days. That won’t be the case this year as the Clippers’ Grammy trip has them playing five road games in seven days. It’s not ideal but at least they’re not on the road for two weeks.
Matt Barnes returns to L.A.
One of the more popular players on the Clippers, at least within the locker room, over the past three seasons was Matt Barnes. He especially liked mixing it up with the “grit and grind” Memphis Grizzlies and after an offseason where he got shipped to Charlotte and then shipped to Memphis, Barnes will return to Los Angeles as a member of the Grizzlies. His first game against the Clippers is Nov. 9 when the Grizzlies come to the Staples Center and Barnes has already posted he’s not going to take it easy on his old friend, DeAndre Jordan.
“I told him, ‘Even though we’re good friends, I’m still going to foul the beep out of you when we play,'” Barnes said during his introductory news conference in Memphis. “That’s just the kind of player I am. There are no hard feelings.”
Home and away for the holidays
The Clippers technically have a road game on Christmas Day but luckily for them it’s against the Los Angeles Lakers meaning they will be at home with their families and preparing for their game in their home locker room. The Clippers also have home games against Utah and New Orleans on the Wednesday and Friday around Thanksgiving and will be in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve, which is good or bad depending on how you feel about Bourbon Street.
