The bad old days are becoming a distant memory for the high-flying Los Angeles Clippers. They lead the NBA's Pacific Division, they have Chris Paul and Blake Griffin as All-Star starters and they have, at least for the moment, stolen the spotlight from the Los Angeles Lakers.
"It's a new beginning around here," Chauncey Billups said of a franchise that hasn't had a winning season since 2005-06, which also was the last time the Clippers made the playoffs. They are 13-7 going into today's game at Washington, good for third in the Western Conference standings, ahead of the Lakers.
They've knocked off some of the NBA's best, including the Miami Heat, the Lakers, and the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. Since last Sunday, they have won at Denver and defeated West-leading Oklahoma City on back-to-back nights, then followed up with their first win in Utah since 2003.
"We got better this week," Billups said, the notable exception being a 112-91 loss to the Nuggets on Thursday in their fourth game in five nights.
Suddenly, it's hip to be a Clip.
Free-agent forward Kenyon Martin became the newest addition Friday, agreeing to a one-year deal. Paul was the biggest addition, arriving in December after the Lakers made an ill-fated run at acquiring him. Billups signed on just before Paul, giving the Clippers two veteran guards who can shoot and make plays.
Coach George Karl of Denver wonders why anyone is surprised by the early success.
"Griffin, everybody knew he was going to be special, it was just when. His improvement was expedited by Chris Paul being there. Then they get Chauncey," Karl said.
Fans voted Paul and Griffin in as starters in the All-Star game, giving the franchise its first two players in the game since 1976, when the franchise was known as the Buffalo Braves and Randy Smith and Bob McAdoo were in the starting lineup. No Clipper has started in the All-Star game since World B. Free in 1980, after the franchise had moved to San Diego. Griffin was a reserve last season as a rookie, and he won the dunk contest by leaping over a car.
This season, Griffin leads the league in dunks and is averaging 21.4 points and 10.9 rebounds. His one-handed jam over Kendrick Perkins on Monday became a video and Twitter sensation.
"That's why this arena is sold out, to see things like that. I'm seeing stuff this year that I didn't see last year from him," Mo Williams said.
Griffin and Paul (18.9 points and 9.1 assists) are averaging 53 percent from the field; Griffin is shooting 50 percent from 3-point range to Paul's 47 percent.
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