NBA preseason means a time for change and new beginnings. One of those is Doc Rivers, trying to continue the growth of the Los Angeles Clippers over the last two years, covering up the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship banners and retired uniforms during his team’s home games. Apparently, even if the someone on their crosstown rivals is insulted or angry about the matter, only Nick Young seems to care enough to sound off about it.
The Los Angeles basketball rivalry meant nothing for a very long time, even when the two teams have been sharing the Staples Center since 1999. The Clippers being bad most of the time just failed to create any sense of a true derby when the two teams met. However, the last couple of years, with the arrival of Chris Paul and the decline of the Lakers, things have been a lot closer and a lot testier between the two teams.
Rivers wants the Clippers to take the next step, which means continuing their dominance as the city’s best NBA team, and advancing further in the playoffs while distancing themselves from the little sister syndrome that’s been such a big part of their identity for a very long time. For Nick Young, who grew up in Los Angeles, that doesn’t sit right, even though he hasn’t done a single thing to help the Lakers obtain one of those banners.
He can do that? For real? That’s disrespectful. We got to talk to Doc. He can’t have that. We got to do something about that. That’s a lot of pull y’all are giving Doc. I think he shouldn’t come in and have so much pull like that. He’s got to earn his keep. He didn’t win no title in LA. That’s where it’s at. Look at all these banners in here, you can’t shadow those up.
Steve Nash, who people usually respect his opinion and say more than they do with Young, didn’t make it seem like such a dramatic change. Actually, he seemed surprised that the Clippers didn’t think of that sooner.
I guess if you were in the Clippers’ organization you probably want to do that, too. It’s their arena on their night, so I would try to make it feel like home.