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Clippers 2016-17 schedule: 5 best games of the first month

By Tom West

Mar 9, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts to a call in action against the Los Angeles Clippers during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts to a call in action against the Los Angeles Clippers during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 29, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) talks to Los Angeles Clippers guard Austin Rivers (25) after game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Trail Blazers won 106-103. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 29, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) talks to Los Angeles Clippers guard Austin Rivers (25) after game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Trail Blazers won 106-103. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports /

October 27 @ Portland Trail Blazers

The main reason we have to start with this game is because, well, it’s the season opener. It’s kind of a big game by default. After months of not seeing the Clippers in action — even longer than recent years after an early, injury-ridden first round playoff exit — the season opener is a night when every team wants to start strong and begin their new campaign in the right manner. Starting as you mean to go on applies as much to the champion Cavaliers as the Lakers.

Why does this season opener resonate particularly strongly with the Clippers, though? Because it’s against the very team that eliminated them from the playoffs just a couple of months ago: the Portland Trail Blazers.

Their first round matchup was never a series that panned out in a fair, balanced manner, simply due to season-ending injuries to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin that came within minutes of one another in Game 4.

The Blazers were able to overcome generally cool shooting from Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum behind the impressive play of Al-Farouq Aminu and Mason “Point” Plumlee, while the role players stepped up.

Of course, winning games 5 and 6 to close the series wasn’t so challenging for them without Paul and Griffin on the floor.

Providing health is on the Clippers’ side as expected, this contest against the Blazers to begin the 2016-17 season should (ideally) go in L.A.’s favor. After an offseason that largely revolved around bringing the same team back and making some sound minimum acquisitions with Marreese Speights, Raymond Felton and Brandon Bass, the Clippers are facing a Blazers team that aimed sky high in free agency and came away disappointed.

Offers to Hassan Whiteside and Chandler Parsons came to nothing for Portland, leaving them with extortionately expensive backup offers to Evan Turner (four years, $70 million), while bringing back Allen Crabbe (four years, $75 million). It’s paired Lillard and McCollum with notable counterparts off the bench, but the Blazers have loaded just over 60 percent of their salary cap into their backcourt and little improvement has been made to the rest of the team.

With that in mind, it certainly isn’t too ambitious for Clippers fans to get excited for a 1-0 record after the new season’s first night.

Next: The showcasing of Westbrook gone solo

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