Los Angeles Clippers Blog – Page 77 – NBA Blog

Blake Griffin, John Wall named Rookies of Month for January, 2011

The Washington Wizards’ John Wall and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin today were named the Eastern and Western Conference NBA Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played through January.

Wall led all Eastern Conference rookies in scoring (13.9 ppg), assists (10.5 apg) and double-doubles in the month. He also became the first rookie in NBA history to have nine or more assists in 10 straight games. In addition, Wall’s 168 assists in the month were the most by a rookie since Mark Jackson had 172 assists in 1988.

Griffin led all rookies in scoring (26.0 ppg), rebounding (13.4 rpg) and ranked second in assists (4.4 apg). He became only the fourth rookie over the last 20 seasons to average at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in a calendar month.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Detroit’s Greg Monroe, New York’s Landry Fields, Philadelphia’s Evan Turner, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins and San Antonio’s Gary Neal.

Eric Gordon out 3-4 weeks with wrist injury

Los Angeles Clippers’ guard Eric Gordon did not travel with the team to Dallas for tonight’s game against the Maverick’s so he could remain in Los Angeles for further examination on his right wrist, injured in a fall this past Saturday in a game versus the Golden State Warriors.

Gordon was examined today by Dr. Steve Chin at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic. He was examined previously by Clippers’ team physician/orthopedist Dr. Steven Shimoyama and Dr. Roy A. Meals, a orthopedist specializing in hand-related injuries.

Their joint diagnosis is that Gordon is suffering from a sprained right wrist combined with a small bone chip fracture. He is expected to return to action in three to four weeks.

Like discussing the Clippers? Do so on the LA Clippers forum.

Eric Gordon has sprained right wrist

Los Angeles Clippers guard Eric Gordon will not travel with the team to Dallas this afternoon due to a sprained right wrist.

Gordon, who suffered the injury in a fall during the second quarter of the Clippers 113-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, January 22 at STAPLES Center, will remain in Los Angeles to undergo further evaluation and treatment and is listed as a game time decision for tomorrow’s game against the Mavericks.

In 41 games played this season, Gordon has averaged a team-high 24.1 points per game.

GM: Blake Griffin will always be with Clippers

Some may take this more as a threat than a promise, but the Clippers obviously hope to keep young star forward Blake Griffin forever and the team GM is putting word out now about it.

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reports:

It’s impossible to predict where Blake Griffin will be in the summer of 2014, when he will become an unrestricted free agent.

But as far as the Los Angeles Clippers are concerned, he’s not going anywhere.

“I can guarantee you he will only ever be a Clipper,” general manager Neil Olshey said of his prized rookie. “If [Oklahoma City Thunder general manager] Sam Presti arrived on Kevin Durant’s doorstep at midnight on July 1st with an extension, understand that Blake Griffin lives two blocks away from me in Manhattan Beach so it’s going to be a much shorter commute for me.”

Of course, every team in the league will be hoping Griffin makes it onto the open market, someday. But there’s nothing anyone can do about it right now.

Blake Griffin drops 47 and 14 on Pacers

Frank Burlison of the Los Angeles Daily News reports:

Griffin scored a career-high 47 points in just 36 minutes as the Clippers held off the Pacers 114-107 in front of 15,863 on Monday at Staples Center that seemed almost sluggish before Griffin began unleashing his ever-expanding scoring repertoire.

Griffin was whistled for charging into the Pacers’ Tyler Hansbrough just 44 seconds after the opening tip.

That proved to be one of the few times something good didn’t happen for coach Vinny Del Negro’s team when the ball was in Griffin’s hands.

Griffin, who grabbed 14 rebounds for his 27 th consecutive double-double, hit a 10-foot jump hook on the Clippers’ next possession and he was off and running – even if, at least until the fourth quarter, his team wasn’t.

In just eight minutes and 10 seconds on the floor, he went 5 of 7 from the field and made each of his three free throws for 13 points in a first quarter that ended with the Pacers ahead 31-26, largely because of former UCLA guard Darren Collison’s 17 points.

DeAndre Jordan is rising

Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News reports:

The fact is, everything is coming together for [Clippers center DeAndre] Jordan.

“I’m definitely getting very comfortable,” Jordan said after scoring eight points and grabbing eight rebounds in a 99-92 win over the Lakers. “The game is slowing down for me, it’s getting a lot easier.

“Everything is becoming second nature to me.”

In Jordan, Del Negro saw a young player high on physical ability but behind the curve on the nuances of playing center. Enter Iavaroni, who has worked relentlessly with Jordan on footwork, fundamentals and the mental side of the game – basic things like using his size, speed and leaping ability to become a force on the boards.

“(Jordan) has always had the (tremendous) athleticism,” Iavaroni said. “He now understands, `The more I go to the boards, the more (rebounds) I’m going to get.’ He understands how many rebounds he can grab by just being relentless.”

Beyond that, they are building an offensive base for Jordan, beginning with fundamental stuff at the basket.

“He could always run to the rim and catch lobs for dunks,” Iavaroni said. “We’re trusting that and throwing it to him more now.”

Clippers sign Jarron Collins to second 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed center Jarron Collins to a second 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Collins has appeared in 22 games with the Clippers this season and is averaging 0.8 points and 0.8 rebounds in 7.0 minutes per game.

The Clippers originally signed Collins on Sept. 27 before waiving him on Jan. 3. Collins was signed to his first 10-day contract on Jan. 5.

The Clippers roster now stands at 15 players.

Clippers sign Jarron Collins to 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed center Jarron Collins to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Collins has appeared in 19 games this season with the Clippers this season and averaged 0.8 points and 0.7 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.

The Clippers originally signed Collins on Sept. 27 before waiving him on Jan. 3.

The Clippers roster now stands at 15 players.

Clippers waive Jarron Collins

The Los Angeles Clippers today waived center Jarron Collins.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Collins was signed by the Clippers on Sept. 27 and appeared in 19 games this season, averaging 0.8 points and 0.7 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.

The Clippers roster now stands at 14 players.

InsideHoops.com editor says: NBA television ratings will surely take a substantial drop with this dramatic news.

Clippers sign Ike Diogu

Portland Trailblazers forward Ike Diogu dunks in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center in Denver on December 22, 2008. (UPI Photo/Gary C. Caskey) Photo via Newscom Photo via Newscom

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent forward Ike Diogu. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

The ninth overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, Diogu last played for the Detroit Pistons during the 2010-11 preseason, averaging 2.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in three games played. Diogu was waived by the Pistons on October 20th. He appeared in 29 games with the Kings and Portland Trail Blazers in 2008-09 before signing as a free agent with the New Orleans Hornets for 2009-10. Diogu was forced to miss all of last season due to surgery on his left knee.

Diogu, 27, has appeared in 187 NBA games and brings career averages of 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.4 assists to the Clippers while shooting 50.1 percent from the field in his four-year NBA career.

A former standout at Arizona State University, the 6-foot-9 averaged 21.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.7 blocked shots and 35.1 minutes during his three-year collegiate career. As a junior in 2004-5, Diogu was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year and earned was the first player in Arizona State history to earn Second Team All-America honors.

Diogu will be in uniform and available for tonight’s game vs. the Houston Rockets at STAPLES Center.