Los Angeles Clippers Blog – Page 22 – NBA Blog

Doc Rivers loved this Clippers training camp

The Clippers won 53 games last season, which was the sixth highest win total in the league. Very good, but not great. More is expected this season, especially with power forward Blake Griffin, who played just 35 games in 2015-16, returning to action. Here’s the LA Times reporting on Doc Rivers and the squad:

Doc Rivers says Clippers had fantastic training camp

After four days of camp, Rivers concluded that this one was the “best training camp” since he first arrived in 2013.

Rivers said it was a “comfortable camp” and that his players “picked up” information “pretty quickly.”

“The learning curve was high,” Rivers said. “It was just a really good camp. From a coaching standpoint, they were very easy to coach. I hope I’m saying that later.”

All week long, Rivers said, Marreese Speights “has played the best” in practice, showing off his three-point shooting, giving the Clippers another weapon off the bench.

Rivers also said that Wesley Johnson had an impressive camp.

Free ticketed open Clippers practice at UC Irvine October 1

The Clippers will provide fans a free preview of the 2016-17 team on Saturday, Oct. 1 during an open to the public practice on the campus of UC Irvine at the Bren Events Center.

Doors open to fans at 11:45 a.m. The event should end around 1:15 p.m.

In addition to the team practice, the Clippers Spirit dance team will perform, and the team’s mascot, Chuck the Condor, will do stuff that mascots do.

The Open Practice is a ticketed event. Admission is free and open to the public on a first come, first served basis. Visit www.clippers.com/openpractice for more information.

Who will start at SF for Clippers?

The usual Clippers starters are back: Chris Paul and J.J. Redick in the backcourt, Blake Griffin at power forward, and DeAndre Jordan at center. As for who may get the starting nod at small forward, here’s the OC Register reporting:

When the doors opened at the Bren Events Center, those guys were going to be playing with the first unit. But the fifth guy? That was, and remains, a bit of mystery.

On the opening day of training camp Tuesday, Luc Mbah a Moute played with the starters during the period open to the media. Earlier in the day, free agent addition Alan Anderson also worked with the starters. Wesley Johnson, who couldn’t hang on to a spot in the starting lineup last year, also is expected to get a chance with the starters at small forward.

“It’s the first day. I think that job is wide open,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “I’d say Luc, Alan, Wes would be the three, but we may go small. Like I said last year, and didn’t follow through on it, that position will change a lot. Last year, we ran a lot with the small lineup, three guards, and we may do that to start games.”

Clippers sign Xavier Munford and Dorell Wright to training camp roster

The Clippers announced their 2016-17 training camp roster today. The team signed free agents Dorell Wright and Xavier Munford to complete the roster with 17 players.

Munford, a 2016 D-League All-Star, spent last season with the Bakersfield Jam and the Memphis Grizzlies. Undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft out of Rhode Island, Munford appeared in 51 games for Bakersfield in 2014-15, averaging 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

Wright, the 19th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, has spent 12 seasons in the NBA with Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia and Portland. In 549 career games (222 starts), the Los Angeles native has averages of 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists. Wright spent last season in the Chinese Basketball Association playing for the Beikong Fly Dragons before signing with the Heat to close the season. In 37 games for the Dragons, he averaged 24.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Wright’s best statistical NBA season was in 2010-11 as a member of the Warriors when he averaged career-highs of 16.4 points, 5.3 rebounds. 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 82 games (all starts).

The Clippers’ training camp roster currently stands at 17 players.

Los Angeles D-Fenders name Coby Karl head coach

The Los Angeles D-Fenders on Monday have named Coby Karl as head coach. He replaces Casey Owens, who takes over as an assistant coach and advance scout on the Los Angeles Lakers staff.

“We are excited to welcome Coby back to the D-Fenders family as our new head coach,” Buss said. “His extensive experience as both a player and coach in this league is something we’re very happy to bring to the organization as we look to build on a season of success.”

“It is an honor to be back with the Lakers organization, the team that gave me my first job and allowed me to realize my dream of playing in the NBA,” Karl said. “My goal going forward will be to foster an environment and culture that permits our players and staff to fulfill their dreams. Our pursuit will focus on excellence, both as individuals and as members of the Los Angeles D-Fenders organization.”

Karl returns to the D-Fenders organization after appearing in 17 games for the team during the 2007-08 season while on assignment from the Lakers. On February 19, 2008, Karl became the second player in NBA Development League history to play in an NBADL and NBA game in the same day, following former Lakers guard Jordan Farmar. As a player, Karl saw action with the Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors of the NBA, as well as with the D-Fenders, Reno Bighorns, and Idaho Stampede of the NBADL. He most recently served as an assistant coach on the Westchester Knicks staff during the 2015-16 season at the conclusion of his playing career.

Karl, the son of NBA veteran coach George Karl, began his coaching career by spending last season as an assistant coach with the Westchester Knicks. While in the Empire State, he helped the Knicks earn their first playoff berth in franchise history as Westchester improved from 10-40 in 2014-15 to 28-22 during the 2015-16 campaign.

Undrafted in 2007, Karl was invited to participate in training camp with the Lakers, making the Opening Day 15-man roster as a free agent. Karl would go on to play professionally for eight seasons before retiring in 2015.

Along with his domestic experience, Karl also knows the international game, having played professionally in Spain, Italy, and Germany.

Doc Rivers unsure if Paul Pierce will keep playing

Clippers coach Doc Rivers still isn’t positive that Paul Pierce will play next season. More should be known later this month, as training camps approach. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

“If I don’t think they can play, then I tell them that. But I think Paul can play,” Rivers said. “I don’t know how much he’ll play, but he can play. I’ve always thought it’s easy for someone else to tell you to retire; I think that’s something that the player has to come to by himself.”

Rivers reaffirmed that, should Pierce choose to retire, he’ll encourage him to sign a one-day contract with the Boston Celtics in order to retire as a member of the Celtics organization.

Clippers schedule has them traveling over 54,000 miles this season

This isn’t some important milestone; rather, we just find it interesting to mention the travel miles an NBA team undergoes over the course of a season. Because we don’t always see such a number. Here’s the OC Register reporting:

Once the Clippers navigate a schedule that will have them traveling more than 54,000 miles, they’ll likely head to the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. But with Paul and Griffin possessing the ability to opt out of their deals next summer and with J.J. Redick’s contract expiring, the team’s future could be seriously altered.

What happens this season will play a major role in shaping what comes next.

All-Star weekend is Feb. 17-19 in a city yet to be determined. The NBA took the event out of Charlotte because of its objections to a North Carolina that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people. New Orleans is the favorite to get the game.

Clippers sign Alan Anderson

The Clippers have signed guard Alan Anderson.

Anderson brings intensity on both ends of the floor. He should help the Clippers’ bench.

Anderson, 33, spent last season with the Washington Wizards, where he averaged 5.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 13 games. The seven-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 7.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 300 games (66 starts) with the Charlotte Bobcats, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets and Wizards.

The Minneapolis native has spent time playing in the NBA Development League, Europe and China during his career. Anderson holds D-League career averages of 18.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 44 games (24 starts) with the Tulsa 66ers, New Mexico Thunderbirds and Canton Charge. In 2009-10, he captured the Euroleague Championship with Regal FC Barcelona and the following season, he was voted MVP of the Spanish Cup.

The Michigan State graduate boasted averages of 9.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists over his four-year career where he helped lead the Spartans to the NCAA Tournament Final Four in 2005.

Clippers sign Raymond Felton

The Clippers have added another backup for Chris Paul and signed veteran guard Raymond Felton.

The Clippers start Paul and J.J. Redick in the backcourt, and have Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford as reserves. Felton adds additional depth to that mix.

Felton, 32, joins L.A. after spending last season with the Mavericks, where he averaged 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 80 games (31 starts). The South Carolina native appeared in five playoff games (four starts) for the Mavericks last season, averaging 15.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists.

The 11-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 776 games (646 starts) with the Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and Mavericks. He was named NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2006.

Felton was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats with the 5th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft from the University of North Carolina, where he became the first player in Tar Heels history to total 1,000 points, 600 assists, 300 rebounds, 150 steals and 100 3-pointers. In three years at UNC, Felton averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists.

Clippers sign Brandon Bass

The Clippers have signed power forward Brandon Bass.

Bass, 31, joins the Clippers after spending last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he averaged 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 66 games (zero starts).

The 11-year NBA veteran has played in 706 career games (283 starts) with the New Orleans/OKC Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and Lakers, averaging 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists.

The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native has appeared in 58 playoff contests (35 starts) with Dallas, Orlando and Boston, averaging 8.6 points and 4.5 rebounds in 24.2 minutes.

Originally drafted by the Hornets with the 33rd overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft out of Louisiana State University, Bass finished his career as LSU’s third all-time leading shot blocker (104) while ranking eighth in the SEC in blocked shots. He spent two years at LSU, averaging 15.1 points 8.2 rebounds and 1.76 blocks in 34.2 minutes per game in 59 career games.