http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/132307.html
NBA Beat: An injury that brings Clippers to their knees
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, March 4, 2007
It was the best of times, it was the Clipper of times.
Having obviously returned to antagonizing the basketball gods, the Clippers are back to being the Clippers, complete with internal unrest, the disappointing place in the standings and, naturally, a serious knee injury.
Making the setback complete, it came as they were supposed to finally step out of the shadow of that other Los Angeles team. Instead, the Lakers have mostly overachieved with Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson reaffirming their popularity and greatness and, meanwhile, the Clippers are still trying to chase down their potential.
Some nine months ago, the Clippers had the better regular-season finish and the longer playoff run, rolling over Denver in the first round and taking Phoenix to seven games in the West semifinals. It was their center, Chris Kaman, who was an emerging factor inside and their coach, Mike Dunleavy, who was viewed as the missing piece.
Then 2006-07 started, and the real world intruded. The Clippers started 10-15. Forward Corey Maggette sparred with Dunleavy and asked to be traded. Insufferable owner Donald T. Sterling became his former meddlesome self, after keeping a proper distance the previous season, and said Maggette was one of his favorites and should not be traded.
By this time a week ago, the Lakers' Andrew Bynum was the young center with the real promise, and the Clippers were 26-29 and about to get the real flashback. A night later, Shaun Livingston drove to the basket and crumpled to the court, his left leg grotesquely bent and his bright future in severe doubt.
The Clippers had refused to consider Livingston part of any package to land Allen Iverson or, later, Vince Carter, rating him that much of a prospect. They also had watched former No. 1 pick Danny Manning and Ron Harper suffer serious knee injuries and had been so spooked by the possibility of another mishap that it became part of the logic in passing on Sean Elliott in the 1989 draft to take Danny Ferry, because Elliott had hurt his knee before starring at Arizona.
This time, Livingston had torn three ligaments, dislocated the kneecap and torn cartilage, an injury so bad that it could sideline him all next season as well. The team physician said he had never seen anything like it in his 24 years of working with basketball players, but he had seen plenty of Clippers injuries. It was just like old times.
Seattle storm
SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett has been noticeably noncommittal about the future of coach Bob Hill, leading to speculation that Bennett will eventually fire Hill and possibly general manager Rick Sund as well. But for now Bennett needs to present a stable front while trying to win public opinion and work politicians for a $500 million arena.
The closest thing to concrete for the franchise is that it will still be playing in downtown Seattle next season and not Oklahoma City, which is about to lose the Hornets to New Orleans and just happens to be Bennett's home base. No one is discounting potential relocation after that, though, just as the proposed new building in suburban Renton is an option, with the SuperSonics saying they will pick up $100 million and want taxpayers to pick up the other 80 percent of the tab.
Meanwhile, Rashard Lewis might leave as a free agent, Ray Allen could be done for the season because of bone spurs in his left ankle, and Seattle is 12 games under .500 and on pace for a last-place finish in the Northwest Division.
Tick ... tick ... tick ...
The Timberwolves finally have achieved the consistency personnel boss Kevin McHale sought when he fired Dwane Casey -- they lost eight of 12 in February after going 20-20 under Casey.
Most worrisome of all, Kevin Garnett, once regularly praised for his loyalty in staying in Minnesota through the many bad years when most others would have pushed for a trade, has turned to routinely tweaking management for the lack of movement around the trade deadline. Or as he ominously told the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune, alluding to his contract status after next season: "Thank God for opt-outs."
Upon further review
Pau Gasól, after previously pushing the Grizzlies for a trade, said he is now open to remaining in Memphis in a switch that brings temporary tranquility to a franchise desperately needing stability.
Management all along considered his request the product of frustration from losing and not dissatisfaction with the city or the organization. With the trade deadline past, Gasól now knows he has the chance for a new beginning there with the chance to play alongside a franchise-changing center (Greg Oden) or small forward (Kevin Durant) if the Grizzlies get the right lottery results.
End quote
Bud Shaw of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, after watching the pregame extravaganza at the All-Star Game in Las Vegas: "Wayne Newton's new face: leather or microfiber composite?"
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard- cooper@sacbee.com
NBA Beat: An injury that brings Clippers to their knees
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, March 4, 2007
It was the best of times, it was the Clipper of times.
Having obviously returned to antagonizing the basketball gods, the Clippers are back to being the Clippers, complete with internal unrest, the disappointing place in the standings and, naturally, a serious knee injury.
Making the setback complete, it came as they were supposed to finally step out of the shadow of that other Los Angeles team. Instead, the Lakers have mostly overachieved with Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson reaffirming their popularity and greatness and, meanwhile, the Clippers are still trying to chase down their potential.
Some nine months ago, the Clippers had the better regular-season finish and the longer playoff run, rolling over Denver in the first round and taking Phoenix to seven games in the West semifinals. It was their center, Chris Kaman, who was an emerging factor inside and their coach, Mike Dunleavy, who was viewed as the missing piece.
Then 2006-07 started, and the real world intruded. The Clippers started 10-15. Forward Corey Maggette sparred with Dunleavy and asked to be traded. Insufferable owner Donald T. Sterling became his former meddlesome self, after keeping a proper distance the previous season, and said Maggette was one of his favorites and should not be traded.
By this time a week ago, the Lakers' Andrew Bynum was the young center with the real promise, and the Clippers were 26-29 and about to get the real flashback. A night later, Shaun Livingston drove to the basket and crumpled to the court, his left leg grotesquely bent and his bright future in severe doubt.
The Clippers had refused to consider Livingston part of any package to land Allen Iverson or, later, Vince Carter, rating him that much of a prospect. They also had watched former No. 1 pick Danny Manning and Ron Harper suffer serious knee injuries and had been so spooked by the possibility of another mishap that it became part of the logic in passing on Sean Elliott in the 1989 draft to take Danny Ferry, because Elliott had hurt his knee before starring at Arizona.
This time, Livingston had torn three ligaments, dislocated the kneecap and torn cartilage, an injury so bad that it could sideline him all next season as well. The team physician said he had never seen anything like it in his 24 years of working with basketball players, but he had seen plenty of Clippers injuries. It was just like old times.
Seattle storm
SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett has been noticeably noncommittal about the future of coach Bob Hill, leading to speculation that Bennett will eventually fire Hill and possibly general manager Rick Sund as well. But for now Bennett needs to present a stable front while trying to win public opinion and work politicians for a $500 million arena.
The closest thing to concrete for the franchise is that it will still be playing in downtown Seattle next season and not Oklahoma City, which is about to lose the Hornets to New Orleans and just happens to be Bennett's home base. No one is discounting potential relocation after that, though, just as the proposed new building in suburban Renton is an option, with the SuperSonics saying they will pick up $100 million and want taxpayers to pick up the other 80 percent of the tab.
Meanwhile, Rashard Lewis might leave as a free agent, Ray Allen could be done for the season because of bone spurs in his left ankle, and Seattle is 12 games under .500 and on pace for a last-place finish in the Northwest Division.
Tick ... tick ... tick ...
The Timberwolves finally have achieved the consistency personnel boss Kevin McHale sought when he fired Dwane Casey -- they lost eight of 12 in February after going 20-20 under Casey.
Most worrisome of all, Kevin Garnett, once regularly praised for his loyalty in staying in Minnesota through the many bad years when most others would have pushed for a trade, has turned to routinely tweaking management for the lack of movement around the trade deadline. Or as he ominously told the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune, alluding to his contract status after next season: "Thank God for opt-outs."
Upon further review
Pau Gasól, after previously pushing the Grizzlies for a trade, said he is now open to remaining in Memphis in a switch that brings temporary tranquility to a franchise desperately needing stability.
Management all along considered his request the product of frustration from losing and not dissatisfaction with the city or the organization. With the trade deadline past, Gasól now knows he has the chance for a new beginning there with the chance to play alongside a franchise-changing center (Greg Oden) or small forward (Kevin Durant) if the Grizzlies get the right lottery results.
End quote
Bud Shaw of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, after watching the pregame extravaganza at the All-Star Game in Las Vegas: "Wayne Newton's new face: leather or microfiber composite?"
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard- cooper@sacbee.com
