Clippers Schedule: 10 Must-See Games in 2015-16
Here is a look at the 10 most anticipated games for the Los Angeles Clippers through the 2015-16 NBA season, including their first shot at the newly crowned NBA champion Golden State Warriors to Barnes’ return to Staples for the first time since being traded.
– The Season Opener (Oct. 28 – Kings @ Clippers)
Despite the disparity in talent between the two teams in a recent past, Clippers/Kings has been one of the league’s best matchups off the strength of rivalry between Kings star DeMarcus Cousins and Clippers stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul — for four games a season we got to see Cousins try his best to thwart his division brethren. Now Rajon Rondo is added to the equation, adding the Rondo vs. CP3 and Rivers vs. Rondo aspect to the rivalry, which isn’t much considering how Rondo has played over the last year but it’s something. Plus, it’s the season opener. We haven’t seen basketball in so long, the Clippers could have been playing the Philadelphia 76ers to open the season and it would’ve made this list.
Mark ya calendars folks!
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– The Champs Come To Town (Nov. 19 – Warriors @ Clippers)
If you thought Draymond Green was annoying before, imagine how NBA champion Draymond will act when it’s time for him and the defending champion Golden State Warriors to face off against rivals in the Clippers. With the Warriors being champions, it gives the rivalry a deeper dynamic: they’re where the Clippers want to be and if things play out how I imagine them this regular season, the Clippers will have to go through the Warriors to get to the Finals. So why not attempt to assert dominance early on.
– DeAndre goes to Dallas (Nov. 11 – Clippers @ Mavericks)
IMO, the NBA made a mistake not opening up the Clippers’ season IN Dallas. Kings-Clippers is good but to best capitalize off the biggest off-season happening would mean putting those two on the main stage for Game 1, while the “blood” is still boiling. To make things clear, I don’t believe Clippers-Mavs will spin-off into a rivalry behind DeAndre Jordan‘s indecision; it’ll always be partnered with the footnote of remembrance for what happened. Anyway, even with Jordan being from Texas, Mavs fans will welcome him with a healthy boo.
– A Chance at Revenge (Nov. 7 – Rockets @ Clippers)
I can’t imagine the Clippers have forgotten about their collapse of epic proportion in the Western Conference semi-finals — up 3-1 and somehow managed to drop the series to the Houston Rockets; you just don’t forget things like that. Which brings us to Nov. 7 when the Rockets and Clippers spar for the first of four match-ups in ’15-16. Things are a bit different for both teams after the off-season though. For Houston, they’ll (barring injury) have point guard Patrick Beverly back and new face in Ty Lawson, whom they traded for this summer, while the Clippers have former Rockets in Josh Smith and Pablo Prigioni plus Paul Pierce and Lance Stephenson. Toward whom do these additions swing the favor in? At the moment it’s hard to tell as rotations have to be hashed out, but both teams are better meaning these matches will also be better.
– “Game 8” (Dec. 18 – Clippers @ Spurs)
The Game 7 series between the Clippers and Spurs in last years first round gave us unreasonable expectations for any series that occurred after. Without carrying the weight of a higher round, there’s an argument to be made that Clippers-Spurs was the best of the last five years by any two teams. Which brings us to Dec.18 when the two teams first meet up in 2015, but with new faces in the picture on both sides: for San Antonio, LaMarcus Aldridge and David West; for Los Angeles, Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson, and Josh Smith. Hopefully we get another Game 7-esque matchup between these two.
– Matt Barnes returns to Staples (Nov. 9 – Grizzlies @ Clippers)
Grit and Grind got grittier and grindier when they added former Clippers starting small forward Matt Barnes to the equation via trade with the Charlotte Hornets. Matt is no superstar, never was, and never has been, but in his most recent stint with the Clippers he was apart of the team’s core and no one fought harder on a nightly basis. But now he’s in enemy territory, giving the waning rivalry between the Grizzlies and Clippers some oomph in 2015-16.
SN: Raise your hand if you’re awaiting Spencer Hawes‘ return to Staples!
– Welcome Back Kevin Durant (Dec. 21 – Thunder @ Clippers)
With injuries bothering the former MVP, the Clippers only faced Kevin Durant once last season, where he dropped 29 points on 66% shooting, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists — typical KD stuff. If the basketball Gods decide to let up on the injuries, December 21 will be the first of four matchups between the two Western Conference contenders. Something to keep an eye on (without having to mention the other OKC wonders that makes a Clippers-Thunder matchup noteworthy)? How the Clippers match up with KD — in the past, it was Matt Barnes’ job to defend the multiple-time scoring champion; now that he’s gone, it’ll be left up to the likes of Paul Pierce, Josh Smith, and Lance Stephenson, to which I say good luck.
– Welcome Back Pt.2, PG13 Edition (Dec. 02 – Pacers @ Clippers)
While the Clippers got to see KD once last season, a superstar that wasn’t available to the team was Paul George, whose broken leg in the summer kept him from participating in majority games. Well, he’s back now and the Los Angeles native is set to hit Staples for his lone Clippers-related visit in early December. As a whole, I’m not sure what to think of the Pacers as they look to transition away from the identity that made them contenders in the East for the past three years, but with George in the picture (averaged 31.5 points on 55% shooting, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists against the Clippers in 2013-14) — and Monta Ellis to an extent — eyes will stick for this one.
Apr 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce (34) gestures to the crowd from the bench against the Toronto Raptors in the third quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 125-94, and won the series 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
– Paul Pierce returns to DC (Dec. 28 – Clippers @ Wizards)
For one year, the Wizards were home to Paul Pierce’s wrecking ways: playing the villain, he ruined the Toronto Raptor’ postseason and nearly did the same to the Atlanta Hawks a round later. Now the Wizards will be on the opposite end of Pierce’s late-game tormets, with the likes of Otto Porter and Jared Dudley as his replacement. Hopefully we can get an ending where Pierce calling game again is once again relevant.
– Cleveland’s Big 3 Comes to Town (Mar. 13 – Cavaliers @ Clippers)
There’s really no true significance here, like playing the team you lost to in the playoffs or against a former player; just LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving, and the defending Eastern Conference reps coming to town. Last season, the Clippers went 0-2 against the Cavs’ Big 3, so with the games being on national TV, who better to prove you’re worthy of mention aside championship contenders like the Cavaliers than beating them while the world watches.
***BONUS GAME***
– The Brow (Nov. 27 – Pelicans @ Clippers)
It didn’t feel right leaving Anthony Davis off this list — Davis against any team in the NBA is must-see television, so he’s the reason why the Pelicans are today’s honorable mention. Seeing Davis and Blake Griffin matchup for 30-40 is worth it alone, but with the addition of Alvin Gentry, former Clippers assistant under Doc, at head coach, this Pelicans team will be much more fun in comparison to last years version, especially if Davis, Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, and Ryan Anderson can avoid the injury bug.