Just 24 hours after the Lakers media day, the Clippers allowed the media into their practice facility as they gear up for the first season in franchise history where they’ll be defending a Pacific Division title.
This year, the expectations will be even higher as they’ve retooled their bench unit and have retained their core duo of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Further more, they brought in a coach with a winning pedigree in Doc Rivers after deciding not to renew the contract of Vinny Del Negro. Rivers, who had some bad blood with the Clippers as a player is back in Los Angeles fully understanding where the Clippers sit on the conjectural totem pole.
“The risk is all mine,” Rivers, 51, said. “To go to an organization that hasn’t won but [two] playoff series in their entire history, in a town where the other team is the best franchise in sports history – that’s risk.
“But the opportunity – for me – gives me life. If we get this right, it will be the story of stories to tell. At this point in my life, the gamble is worth it.”
That other team, of course, is the Los Angeles Lakers. Those are some kind words from a coach who was just a part of the Celtics organization, the franchise with the most titles in NBA history. The Celtics, of course, had really maintained much success following their 1986 title, missing the playoffs multiple times in the 90s and early millennium.
The Celtics 22 year title drought kind of knocked off the luster of a franchise, especially compared with the Lakers only missing the playoffs five times in franchise history, and only twice since 1976.
Rivers knows he’s going to have his work cut out for him in terms of shifting the balance between the two franchises as Los Angeles is still a Lakers town despite the recent successes of the Clippers.
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