Clippers Set A Bear Trap: 22 Point 4th Quarter Comeback

Yes, it's true. On Sunday, the Los Angeles Clippers played defense. So good a defense in fact that the Memphis Grizzlies didn't score in the final 5 minutes of the game. The Grizzlies only scored 7 points the entire quarter. I'm pretty sure Smokey the Bear is a Grizzly bear because the Memphis Grizzlies did everything in their power to help the Clippers put-out whatever offensive fire they had going coming into the 4th (try a 22 point lead). Well, good job, Grizzlies - another forest fire prevented. Either that or the whole team just decided to hibernate for the entire 4th. I could go on forever with the bear references, but check out this 6 minute video of how the Clippers kept the Memphis Grizzlies at 88 for what seemed like...forever:


(Credit to thecalminsanity for this calmly insane video recap. The 4:31 mark is a gem, with Sebastian Telfair awkwardly being held up by Deandre Jordan while looking like a constipated baby...or something. )

The New Jersey Nets could have used a comeback like this against the Lakers last night because just hours after the Clippers made their exciting 4th quarter run on Sunday afternoon, the Nets took to the same court and became the third team to start 0-17. The last team to go 0-17? Why yes, your Comeback Clips. How poetic indeed. News just in: The Nets hate poetry.

The Novakian Domino: Clippers Re-sign Steve Novak As Fear Spreads Across the League

If you're ever in need of a warm, reassuring hug, Novak's your man.

Talk about stealing Allen Iverson's thunder. Today, the Clippers moved one step closer to Championship lore with the re-signing of 3-point specialist Steve Novak. Sometime late last year during the Clipper's dismal season, Novak was able to provide a refreshing albeit temporal moment of euphoria for Clipper Nation when he sunk in a game winning trey at home against the Nets. You can hear Ralph Lawler's refreshingly nostalgic "Bingo" yell (perhaps the only one he's yelled all year long) ring through amidst the melee in this clip:

Shades of Larry Bird? Same shade of skin tone...

This year, those wide open threes just might hold a little more weight, as Novak will surely become the main beneficiary of a motivated Blake Griffin, a more poised Eric Gordon, an allegedly revived Baron Davis, and...a more sedated, but focused Chris Kaman. Novak will no longer have to get his shots by coming off of multiple screens, but by finding the multiple open spaces he'll now have at his disposal when his man leaves to double up on Blake and Gordon.

Kevin Arnovitz of Clipperblog.com reports that Novak was better than 60% in true shooting percentage last year, meaning he is a rarity in the NBA. Furthermore, Novak is 100% white, another rarity in the NBA.

And it's because of this that Novak shall thrive in his biggest role yet with the Clippers - filling the void that Mark Madsen left behind when he got waived - as top candidate for the 2009-10 congenial white guy of the year award. Adam Morrison, put up or shut up.

Lawler says Bingo for only one man - and that's Steve,
Mike Whang (Lawler's Bingo Card)

Knock-Out NBA News Recap: From Powe to Pau to B-Diddy's Private Pics, Wow!

General NBA News:

- The Cleveland Cavaliers sign Leon Powe to a two-year deal. If he ever gets healthy and returns to his active 2008 form, the league better watch out. Boston will most likely regret the day they let him go, the day he poetically beats them in a wine and gold jersey, and the day Lebron James' decision to stay with the Cavs hinges solely upon Powe's improvement as a rising star. But let's not get ahead of ourselves - he still has till 2010 before he sees the hardwood.

This train has passed, Boston. Right through Powe's out-stretched legs. What.

- Ben Wallace returns to the Detroit Pistons just after seriously considering retirement. He will most likely back-up the great Kwamay Brown (my how the mighty have fallen). In other news, did you know that Ben Wallace first came into the league as a point guard? Him and Nash were point guard rivals in college. And him and the air were free throw rivals during this game:

Lebron knows what's up.

Lakers News:

- Kurt Rambis nabs the head coaching job for the Minnesota Timberwolves. We wish him the best and hope he can somehow facilitate Ricky Rubio for Sasha Vujacic trade with the Lakers. What impact will this leaving have on the Lakers' championship hopes? Well...they did just get a little less white.

- Pau Gasol injures his left hand during Team Spain's practice and has subsequent surgery soon after. He will be out for 3 weeks and should be just healthy enough before the season begins to effectively resume looking awkward at the free throw line.

Double goose-neck - impressive. Looking like a sasquatch - impressively priceless.

- Someone suggested that we should bubble wrap all the Lakers players for the rest of the summer to insure nobody gets injured. Sounds like a great idea. While we're at it, let's go one step further with Sasha and place him into a nice UPS box and ship him off as well - nicely bubble wrapped and all.

Clippers News:

- A Ramon Sessions signing by the Clippers appears imminent after the Knicks have apparently dropped out of the race. If Dunleavy can nab this rising, young guard, the supporting cast of the future for the L.A. Blakers would appear to be filling out just nicely.

- The Clippers traded a pick to the Hornets for shooting wing-man Rasual Butler. They continue to get significantly deeper and deeper - by bench and by long-ball...especially if 6'10 shooting goddess Steve Novak accepts the current offer sheet being presented to him as well.

- Baron Davis has reportedly gotten his laptop stolen. He is also reportedly very concerned that some private pictures of his found within the laptop might be leaked onto the internet. His lawyers have gotten involved and have sent out a warning to the culprit that if Davis's privacy is violated and these pictures are released, a lawsuit will be filed. What's more perplexing to me is the fact that Baron Davis could possibly have any more embarrassing and disturbing pictures than this one:

Conan O'Brien: He's not afraid of people seeing any sexual pictures...He's afraid of people seeing him wearing a Clippers jersey. Ouch.

We can only hope that 1. Baron Davis didn't go Vanessa Anne Hudgens on us, 2. that he's not friends with R. Kelly, and 3. that every one involved in those pictures is of legal age to go to Dave and Buster's. In the end, who knows, maybe Davis is just hiding some embarrassing cue pictures that he took at an Asian place. In any case, we're all cue-rious.


The Fridge Neatly Packages NBA News For You In Nice, Witty Tupperware,
Jonathan Hernandez (Chick's Fridge)