The 2010’s were the greatest decade in LA Clipper history.
Very few teams in the NBA have had as eventful of a decade as the LA Clippers had during the 2010’s. There was the dominance of the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat, and the individual championships of the Spurs, Lakers, Mavs, Raptors, and Cavs. While the Clippers may have not have won an NBA championship during this decade, there were so many historic moments for the franchise. At the start of the decade in 2010, the team was owned by Donald Sterling, and consisted of a roster capable of only 32 wins. The team literally went from being owned by the worst owner in the history of sports, to the richest owner in sports. With that being said, here are my own personal picks for the top 10 LA Clipper moments of the decade.
10) Blake Griffin’s dunk fest against Mozgov and the Knicks (Nov 20, 2010)
This was the moment that brought the Clippers into the mainstream spotlight. Not a single soul aside from the most die hard of Clipper fans cared about the Clippers before this. Blake Griffin slammed an amazing dunk against Timofey Mozgov that seemed to make the basketball world stand still. He followed it up with another fantastic transition dunk against Danilo Gallinari. When Amar’e Stoudemire was at the free throw line, even he had to give Griffin a nod of appreciation. It was a symbolic moment that represented a passing of the torch. Blake Griffin became ‘the Clipper’ that night. As a rookie, Blake ended the phenomenal night with 44 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. Crazy enough, the Clippers were actually 1-13 at the time. One of the biggest reasons this moment isn’t higher is because it’s a regular season game.
9) Acquiring Jerry West as a consultant (June 14, 2017)
A quieter moment compared to some of the ones to follow on this list. Jerry West is often credited as the man who rebuilt the Grizzlies into a 50 win team, rebuilt the Warriors, drafting Kobe Bryant, and even more. Quite frankly, West is known to have the Midas touch with whatever organization he comes into contact with. It was a telling sign that showed Steve Ballmer was committed to winning. To this date, West has done a masterful job of putting the Clippers in a position to acquire Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and having solid bench foundation.
8) 27 point comeback against the Grizzlies in Game 1 of the 2012 playoffs (April 29, 2012)
A moment that every Clipper fan will remember forever. This was the very first time the Clippers made the playoffs since 2006. It was also the very first playoff game for the Lob City Clippers. The anticipation couldn’t be higher for fans, as the combination of the two had them salivating. To put some context into the situation, the Clippers were down 82-55, on the road, with 14 minutes left in the game. There was a 99% chance of the game being over. Instead, the Clippers went on a 26-1 run, and a 44-16 run to finish the game. It was one of the most improbable wins any NBA fan has ever seen, and at the time, was the greatest Clipper comeback in playoff history.
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7) 31 point comeback against the Warriors in Game 2 of the 2019 playoffs (April 15, 2019)
The biggest playoff comeback in NBA history. As improbable as the Grizzlies comeback seemed, this one was even more so. With 7:25 left in third quarter, the Clippers were down 94-63 against the Warriors. This wasn’t against just any playoff team either, the Warriors were the defending champions, and contained arguably the most stacked roster the NBA has ever seen. To make matters worse, the Clippers were also in Oracle Arena, known for being the hardest stadium to play in.
It what may seem like the closest thing to an NBA version of David vs Goliath, none of this mattered to the Clippers. The team without a single All-Star nomination, that no one predicted to even have a winning record, that no one predicted to be in the playoffs, somehow figured out a way to overcome everything. It’s a moment that became embedded not just in Clipper fans, but NBA fans across the world.
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6) Game 7 win against the Warriors in the 2014 playoffs (May 3, 2014)
One of the most emotional moments in Clipper history. This playoff series was remembered for its intensity, bad blood, and the Donald Sterling fiasco surrounding it. The Clippers had been through so much emotionally throughout this series, it felt like multiple playoff series wrapped into one. Before Game 4 started, the Donald Sterling news broke. When the team arrived back home for Game 5, protesters surrounded the arena, and the Clippers lost all of their sponsors. As someone who attended Game 5, it was truly a once in a lifetime experience.
By the time Game 7 rolled around, there were questions surrounding if the Clippers even had the emotional energy to compete. It was an incredibly back-and-forth game, but ultimately the Clippers ended up victorious. The entire series culminated in a moment where Doc Rivers clenched his fist, raised his arm in the air, and yelled ‘YES!’ He let go of every emotion that he felt during the Donald Sterling situation, and the crowd responded in kind. To this day, it’s one of the loudest occasions I’ve ever heard STAPLES Center get, and the most emotional I’ve ever seen Doc Rivers become. It was this rare collective sigh of relief, like every fan made it through the trenches together. Beating the Warriors in 2014 was more than about beating an NBA team, it was about overcoming the emotional baggage Donald Sterling brought to the team.
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5) Acquiring Chris Paul (December 12, 2011)
One of the greatest moments in Clipper history, and one of the worst moments in Laker history. The day the Clippers traded for Chris Paul will always be paired with the short period of time in which he was a Laker. It was one of the only times an All-NBA player preferred to be traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, despite having Donald Sterling as an owner. In the words of Blake Griffin, Chris Paul’s arrival ‘put [the Clippers] on the map.’
Regardless of how Clipper fans may now feel about Chris Paul, he was the catalyst behind much of the team’s success. Paul instilled the Clippers’ winning culture, hit multiple game winning shots in the playoffs, and introduced the franchise into a whole new set of eyes. He was one of the reasons for multiple 50 win seasons, top 10 jersey sales, and the birth of Lob City. Simply put, the Clippers would not be where they are today without Paul. Until Kawhi Leonard proves otherwise, it could be easily argued that Chris Paul is the greatest Clipper in franchise history.
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4) Acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the same day (July 5, 2019)
While July 10 was the official date Kawhi Leonard and Paul George signed with the Clippers, it was first reported on July 5. That day will always be remembered by LA fans because of the massive 7.1 earthquake that preceded it.
Kawhi Leonard is the biggest free agent signing in Clipper history. His signing was the very first time in NBA history that a player left a championship team the year after becoming a Finals MVP. The media all but shut out the idea of Kawhi coming to the Clippers. Despite every fake report, he ultimately chose ‘the other’ LA team. It proved that the Clippers truly were a destination. He is easily the most accomplished player that’s ever signed with the Clippers, and the franchise hopes he can make that same history with them.
What nobody saw coming, was the Clippers acquiring Paul George on the very same day they got Kawhi. The two acquisitions followed each other like shock waves. By the time fans looked at their phone for updates on one, there was already an update about the other. The moment has already become one of folklore, a ‘where were you when the Clippers got Kawhi & PG,’ type of affair.
This is the most recent moment on the list, so there’s a chance that it moves up in the future if the duo wins a championship. Until then, the expectations have never been higher for the Clippers.
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3) Steve Ballmer purchases the Clippers for $2 billion (May 29, 2014)
‘DO WE HAVE ANY CLIPPER FANS HERE?’
Steve Ballmer’s acquisition of the Clippers truly changed everything for the franchise. Ballmer is quite literally, the exact opposite of Donald Sterling. Where Donald sterling was too cheap to pay for a coach’s cancer treatment, Steve Ballmer is willing to spend $1 billion of his own money for a new Clipper arena.
Ballmer’s presence has really put the Clippers in uncharted territory. They have an owner who is willing to spend money, committed to winning, and committed to making the Clippers the best basketball team in the NBA. Not only that, but his purchase of $2 billion marked the Clippers as one of the premiere franchises in sports. At the time, the price was one of the highest ever paid for a pro sports team, nearly matching the $2.15 billion paid for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011. It remains to be seen what this new arena will be like, but the fact that Ballmer is pushing so hard for it, speaks volumes.
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2) Donald Sterling banned for life (April 29, 2014)
‘Effective immediately, I am banning Mr. Sterling for life, from any association with the Clippers organization, or the NBA.’
These are words Clipper fans will remember until the end of time. It felt like the shadow of Donald Sterling would never leave the Clippers. No matter how successful the team became, there was always the underlying feeling that a racist owned the Clippers. Sterling wasn’t just a racist, he was the reason why the Clippers were known as the worst franchise in the history of sports. He refused to pay for proper medical equipment, yelled at his players during the games, and created a miserable environment for the team. Doc Rivers nearly quit in 2013 when Sterling tried to stop a deal to bring JJ Redick to the Clippers. ‘I was on the job for six days and I quit,’ Rivers said. That’s one of the perfect summaries of why the Clippers were never successful under Sterling.
When Adam Silver took the podium to announce Sterling’s fate, the entire Clipper fan base waited with baited breath. They never thought Sterling would ever leave the Clippers. David Stern never banned him after years of poor ownership, so what could a newly appointed commissioner in Adam Silver do? When a team is bad for decades, it isn’t because of bad luck, it’s because of bad ownership. There truly aren’t enough words to describe how significant this moment was for the Clippers.
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1) Chris Paul’s game winner against the Spurs in Game 7 of the 2015 playoffs (May 2, 2015)
I’ll admit, this is a personal favorite for me. In terms of pure on court moments, it doesn’t get any bigger than this for the LA Clippers. Six seconds left on the clock, game tied at 109-109, and Chris Paul hit a miraculous bank shot game winner over two defenders. It was easily, the loudest I have ever heard a Clipper game get. Fans were so emotional after the shot, I witnessed individuals with legitimate tears in their eyes, hugging each other.
In the annals of history, the Clippers vs. Spurs series will go down as one of the greatest first round series of all time. It was almost a crime to see the defending champion Spurs go against the talented Lob City squad so early in the playoffs. The Spurs were the team that both Chris Paul, and the Clippers, could never defeat. It was only fitting that after CP3 won the series, he became emotional in the arms of Tim Duncan. It’s impossible to watch this clip without getting excited, regardless of what team you cheer for. These are the moments that immortalize a player.
Final Thoughts
It’s very easy to look at the 2010’s as a decade of disappointment for the Clippers. They had so much talent, so much potential, but never managed to win a championship. On the other hand, all of that was newfound territory for the organization. Never forget what this team transformed into throughout the decade. A once perennial bottom team, blossomed into a consistent 50 win playoff team.
The 2010’s were a rebirth for the organization, laying the building blocks for what 2020 is to become. The team is a championship favorite today, because of the success they had yesterday. Enjoy this final day of the decade, looking back on the greatest moments in Clipper history, as the team hopes to conquer the next decade.
