In cities with two professional sports teams, why does one team receive more love than the other? In New York, it’s the Giants over the Jets and the Yankees over the Mets. In Chicago, it’s the Cubs over the White Sox. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, the Lakers tend to get more attention than the Clippers. While historical success in the playoffs is certainly a factor, often one team in one city is significantly younger than the other. By the time the Clippers played their first NBA game in October 1984, their Los Angeles counterparts, the Lakers, had already won three NBA championships.
How did the Clippers get their name? The city held a “name the team” contest, in which locals submitted 14,000 entries. The name “Clippers” refers to Los Angeles’ role as a port containing Clipper ships. While the Clippers are simply fast sailboats, the name also refers to the Star of India, a famous windjammer ship docked in San Diego that inspired the team’s name.
The Clippers got off to a rocky start in the NBA. They had traded three rising stars for three aging veterans and inherited the Lakers’ Los Angeles Sports Arena. Even replacing his coach didn’t boost the Clippers. They finished their first NBA season with a 31-51 record, or a .378 winning percentage.
Although the Clippers have never been NBA Division Champions or earned spots in the NBA Finals or Conference Finals, they have appeared in the playoffs four times. They first made the playoffs during the 1991-1992 season. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown led the Clippers to a 45-37 record. Although they lost in the first round to the Utah Jazz (3-2), they had definitely set sail for playoff success.
During the following season, the Clippers reached the playoffs again, although they had won a meager 41-41 record. Again, the Clippers lost in the first round. This time it was for the Houston Rockets. They were within attacking distance in Game 5, but ultimately lost it 84-80, in Houston.
Four years later, the Clippers again qualified for the playoffs. This time, they sneaked into the postseason game, even though they had won a 34-48 record (.414 winning percentage). However, the Clippers faced the mighty Utah Jazz, losing in three straight games.
A decade later, the Clippers had another solid season during their 2005-2006 campaign. They had a regular season record of 47-35. This time, however, the result in his first playoff series was more favorable. The Clippers did the job on both offense and defense, defeating the Denver Nuggets (4-1). During the next round, the Clippers would face the Phoenix Suns running and shooting. Although the Clippers were big losers, they played closely against the Suns. However, they eventually lost the series 4-3.
Although they are a young team, the LA Clippers have begun to achieve some success in the playoffs. They hope to get further into the playoffs. Cheer them on with LA Clippers merchandise as they continue to cruise to their first NBA championship!