Happy Hollinsdays. The NBA is back. But did it ever really leave? With the new season the NBA brings its over-hyped, big-market, “super-teams” with it. Last year’s was the Heat (Remember the “Heat Index?”). This year’s is undoubtedly the Clippers AKA “Lob City.”
I’m really down on Lob City. The only thing that makes me want to watch them in their season opener is that I get to listen to the unbelievably honest Jeff Van Gundy and Chris Mullin, who I still want to be like when I grow up. I just don’t get all the hype over “Lob City.” People like Griesbeck are picking them to go to the Western Conference Finals, some are even calling them Championship contenders. What’s worse is that everybody is picking them ahead of our Grizzlies, who were one game from those Western Conference finals just last year, without Rudy Gay.
To all in Grizz nation who are enamored with Lob City, I hope to protect you. Why I’ll take our Bluff City Bears over the Lob City Clippers any day of the week:
1) I love Griesbeck’s “We’re still the Grizzlies” (WSTG) theory. And I get it. Last year our Dresden Theory had a perfect 15-0 record. Teams just could not win in a “Dresden after the war” FedEx forum on a second game of a back-to-back. But if WSTG has any validity to it (which I think it does), Grizz nation should pause before anointing the Clippers as the champs. Let’s not forget: THEY’RE STILL THE CLIPPERS. In a classic Clipper move just last year, the team dealt Baron Davis and their first round pick to the Cavs for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon. That first round pick ended up being…of course… the #1 pick. If there is any team in the NBA who makes the Grizzlies franchise history look respectable, or even mildly fortunate, it’s the Clippers. The Clippers are arguably the worst franchise in pro sports with arguably (it shouldn’t even be an argument) the worst owner in the history of sports in Donald Sterling.
2) What makes this fascination even more absurd is the fact that the Clippers won 32 games last year. They were fourteen games behind the Grizz and didn’t even sniff the playoffs. It takes at least a playoff appearance for a franchise to get over the hump. The Clippers haven’t been in the playoffs since Elton Brand and the last four years they have been a near laughingstock. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “they have “the Blake Show” and CP3 now though!
3) Blake Griffin is a great player. I get it. He can jump over a car (or at least the hood of a car). But Grizz fans, let’s not forget who we have on our roster. I’m not sure Zach Randolph can jump over a toy car, but that does not matter. I watched Zach Randolph take Blake Griffin behind the woodshed last year on March 14.
He put up 30 and 12 against Griffin and held Griffin to just 8 points. Z-Bo looked like an all-star and Griffin didn’t. I love Griffin, but I’d rather have a four who has a post game.
4) Chris Paul is also a great player. He’s one of the elite point guards in the game, and one of only a few all-time to average 18 and 9 assists for his career. But do we really think that one player is going to transform this team from cellar dwellers to a championship contender? Paul’s got bad knees and is working with a young Clippers team who is still a Clippers team.
5) I disagree that the Clippers have the best player in the league at 2 positions like I keep hearing. But even if they did, that’s not going to get them farther than the Grizzlies this year. What happened last year and this offseason in Memphis is important and I think is being over-looked. The Grizzlies are a team. The players know their roles and their coach. Even OJ Mayo has bought into his role as a 6th man. Continuity is important in the NBA, and I’d take a team over 2 players any day.
I’m down on Lob City but I’m high on this team. The season starts tonight and Memphis Light Grizz and Water powers back on Thursday night. I’m ready. Are you?
I live the GrizzLife and love it,
Paul
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