Hooped Up

Newcomers play part in 98-94 victory over Charlotte
Baron Davis’ back was back, but could that help the Clippers put up back-to-back victories?

They coughed up another big lead, then had a reversal of fortune with a late video review and scored a 98-94 victory over Charlotte on Monday at Staples Center. Chris Kaman had 18 points and 13 rebounds and the Clippers got a boost from their newcomers to record consecutive victories for the first time in more than a month.

The Clippers, with Travis Outlaw and Drew Gooden making their debuts, built a 13-point lead in the second period but reverted to the turnover-prone form that has dogged them in the past four games.
San Bernardino Sun

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Holy Shmoly, Chris Kaman has just been added to the western conference all-star squad to replace a hobbled Brandon Roy.

Los Angeles Clippers centre Chris Kaman will replace the Trail Blazers’ Brandon Roy in this weekend’s All-Star game.

Roy injured his right hamstring last month.

Roy, in his fourth season with the Blazers, made the All-Star team as a reserve for the third straight season.

Kaman will be making his first All-Star appearance.

Kaman is the first Clippers player to be selected to the all-star team since Elton Brand was in 2006.

via Press Release

Much like every single album that has come out in the last 10 years, the 2010 all-star reserves list has been leaked and Yahoo! Sports has obtained the list to be reveled Thursday night in their NBA logo sports mug.

The Eastern Conference reserves include Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo from the Boston Celtics, Toronto’s Chris Bosh, Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace, Chicago’s Derrick Rose and Atlanta’s Joe Johnson and Al Horford.

The Western Conference reserves include Utah’s Deron Williams, New Orleans’ Chris Paul, Los Angeles Pau Gasol, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki , Zach Randolph from Memphis and Brandon Roy from the Portland Trail Blazers.

David Lee, Carlos Boozer, Marc Gasol, Josh Smith, Chris Kaman, Monta Ellis and Chauncey Bilups will all have to wait for next season.

H/N Yahoo! Sports

Another van glorious season of NBA basketball is about to begin and Hooped Up does a quick and dirty preview of all 30 clubs.

The LA Clippers have been the NBA’s best D-League team for years because they’ve developed so much good talent for other teams over the years. With the drafting of Blake Griffin, that needs to stop. Read More »

The Chicago Bulls would like to get a real center and Buff Braddy and Chris Kaveman seem to be on their radar and Travel Wllbury Drew Gooden could be trade bait again.

“It’s known the Bulls have had talks with the Kings, though it’s unclear who on that roster interests the Bulls. Former Bull Brad Miller is available. The Bulls also have expressed interest in Clippers center Chris Kaman, who didn’t travel because of injury and who reportedly is not being shopped yet. Gooden’s expiring contract and solid averages that are near a double-double could attract interest.”

Chicago Tribune

For some reason, the Clippers want to be competitive and I still find it weird. Call me old fashion but in my day, the Clippers lost and we all liked it and our Internet was slow dammit!

“The Clippers just made a trade to bring power forward Zach Randolph to the team to replace the void left when Elton Brand left town.  With Kaman, Randolph, and Marcus Camby in the frontcourt, the Clips might be looking to unload one of their big men to get a dynamic shooting guard in return. 

This could give them the potential starting five of Camby, Randolph, Al Thornton, Richardson, and Baron Davis which would help them climb out of the western conference cellar.”

Bleacher Report

The 26-year-old Michigan native obtained German citizenship and will play for Germany’s national basketball team alongside Dallas Mavericks forward and German native Dirk Nowitzki in an Olympic qualifying tournament later this month, according to wire reports.

Kaman, a 7-footer who played three seasons at Central Michigan, averaged 15.7 points and 12.7 rebounds last season for the Clippers but sat out the month of April because of an ankle injury.

“We’ll be stronger under the baskets with Chris,” Nowitzki told the Associated Press.

Kaman, whose great-grandparents were German, first talked about possibly playing for Germany during the winter.

He will try to help Germany’s basketball team to its first Olympic appearance since the 1992 games in Barcelona, Spain. The Germany team will head to Athens to participate in a qualifying event July 14 to July 20, where 12 teams will compete for three Olympic berths.

LA Times