NBA2K3 Franchise: LA Clippers... In David Porter, Out Elgin Baylor

[antigravity]

In breaking news tonight, Los Angeles Clippers long time owner Donald T. Sterling has sacked Lakers legend Elgin Baylor, and replaced him with an unknown man by the name of David Porter.
After over 8 years of disapointment under the rule of Elgin Baylor, Clipper fans are both appluading and attacking the move by Sterling. David Porter, is a relative unknown in basketball circles, but has a celebrated business background and a supposed fine understanding of the NBA and it's players.
With a number of players coming out of contract at the end of the year (Olowokandi, Miller, Piatkowski, Maggette), it will be very interesting, to say the least, watching how Porter will manage the offseason. It is important to note that as of now, it is reported that the Clippers are under the cap by a number as high as $15m.

(Franchise will be 12min quarters, All-Star, 14 game season, Adam's sliders were used as a base but were tweaked to allow higher scores [in testing scores ranged between 85-110] by increasing midrange, inside, and 3pt shot percentages [in testing, range was between 41-52% for total fg]. Stealing was reduced, and other sliders were modified to decrease silly turnovers due to slow/ildirected passes. Rosters are updated to opening day season 02-03, and include 90% of players that weren't included in the original roster [ie. Ginobili, Ming, Jaric, Giricek, Malik Allen, etc..]. To do this I used the ratings supplied on JWillfan's website.)

Any input into how I should change the way I write my Journal to better your reading experience would be great too..

[antigravity]

New Los Angeles Clipper GM, David Porter has made his first transaction since entering the front office.

C Sean Rooks, PF Cherokee Parks and a 2nd Rnd Draft Pick have been traded to the Suns in exchange for SG Joe Johnson and PF Alton Ford.

Parks averaged 1.5ppg and 1.4rpg in 5.6mpg while Rooks averaged 3.0ppg and 2.0rpg in 11.9mpg last year for the Clippers.

The 10th pick in the 2001 NBA draft, Joe Johnson produced 7.5ppg, 3.3rpg and 2.3apg, in 24.9mpg in his rookie year last year for the Suns and Celtics. PF Alton Ford, added in the trade for salary cap reasons averaged 3.1ppg and 2.0rpg in 8.5mpg for the Suns in his rookie season.

When Joe was asked about the trade, "This is my third team in the NBA since entering a year ago so it's definately been a ride that's for sure. But I'm here to make an impression. I've always loved LA and this is where I want to be for a long time."

With Richardson, Maggette, Piatkowski, Odom and Fowlkes filling the SG and SF positions it's hard to see where Johnson will fit in. Don't expect him to get many minutes this year, as he battles for backup minutes behind Richardson and Odom. But with Piatkowski and Maggette coming into free agency at the end of the season, Joe will more than likely get more minutes next year.

Alton Ford was later released by the LA Clippers.

[antigravity]

Detroit 95 at LA Clippers 84

David Porter suffered his first loss as a GM last night at the hand of the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons led early in the game, and the Clippers never managed to pull back the lead, losing in the end by 11 points.

The Pistons looked especially dangerous in the first quarter, shooting 53% and knocking down 3 three pointers. The teams to'd and fro'd with the Clippers getting as close as 2 points midway through the third quarter. Alvin Gentry started the fourth quarter with bench players, Ely, Maggette, Jaric, Piatkowski and Wilcox and ended up being down 15 points midway through that same quarter. They squashed the lead down to 8 points when the starters where substituted back in, but never got closer and lost by 11.

L. Odom 20pts, 10reb, 33min
Q. Richardson 17pts, 5reb, 4ast, 38min
E. Brand 16pts, 14reb, 6stl, 3blk, 3ast, 39min
M. Ely 9pts, 10reb, 4ast, 22min
A.Miller 8pts, 6ast, 4stl, 34min

Rip Hamilton topped scored for the winners with 20 points, while Chauncey Billups scored 17 points while collecting 11 assists. Jon Barry managed 18 points in just 25 minutes off the bench.

Detroit is now 1-0, and the Clippers are 0-1. Last nights game was injury free. The Clippers next game is against the Nuggets.

[antigravity]

LA Clippers 69 at Denver 84



Serious questions are being raised concerning the Clippers and their offensive stratagy after last nights demoralising loss to the Nuggets. The Clippers struggled to raise their FG% over 40% and fell behind by twenty points as early as the start of the second quarter.

The Nuggets on the other hand were having a field day, shooting above 50% for the majority of the game. Their tight inside defense against Elton Brand and Michael Olowokandi was the deciding factor in tonights game. Q Richardson struggled to drop midrange shots unlike his previous game, but still managed to drop 17 points.

Los Angeles seemed to have a lack of experience in times of desperation evidenced when rookies Melvin Ely, Marko Jaric were called upon to save the ship from sinking midway through the first quarter. Unsurprisingly, they were unsuccesful and the Clippers fell further behind. So called "experienced" players, Maggette and Piatkowski provided minimal resistance to the Nuggets and struggled as much as the starters. These players must step up to provide Gentry with some confidence with his bench, because without bench production, combined with the Clippers mediocre starting line-up there is no chance of the Clips getting anywhere near a 50% win-loss percentage. This is something, we're all sure, is not what David Porter had in mind when taking the GM position.

A.Miller 14pts, 4stl, 42min
E.Brand 10pts, 14reb, 7ast, 2stl, 41min
Q.Richardson 17pts, 8reb, 3stl, 37min
L.Odom 11pts, 7reb, 33min