2005 Los Angeles Clippers

It had to be a sweet moment when the Los Angeles Clippers clinched a spot in the standings higher than their rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, for the 2004-05 season. While 37-45 didn't get the Clippers to the playoffs, it did give them breathing room ahead of Kobe Bryant and company. This glimmer of hope is enough to make Clippers fans desperate for seats at their games, so make sure you beat the rush and buy your tickets today.

The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the most complicated histories in all of basketball. The franchise started off as the Buffalo Braves in 1970. The team had difficulty in its first few years, but under the guidance of one of the best coaches in basketball history, Dr. Jack Ramsay, the organization turned itself around and saw success in the playoffs. Soon thereafter, the team went into a tailspin and moved to the opposite coast, becoming the San Diego Clippers. The Clippers posted good records right away but had difficulty reaching the playoffs in a much tougher Western Conference. Soon fans lost interest, and the team moved once again. The Clippers found their new home in Los Angeles.

Center Bob McAdoo joined the team for the 1972-73 season, winning the rookie of the year award even though the Braves finished with another losing record. An outstanding shooter, McAdoo led the league in scoring in each of the next three years, averaging more than 30 points per game. He helped the Braves advance to the playoffs each of those seasons. During the 1974-75 season McAdoo won the NBA most valuable player (MVP) award.

During the 1976-77 season, owner John Y. Brown sold McAdoo's contract to the New York Knicks, and the Braves quickly dropped out of playoff contention. The team also suffered in attendance, and in 1978 Brown and Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin traded franchises. A California businessman, Levin wanted to own a team on the West Coast. He moved the Braves to San Diego, California, and renamed the club the Clippers. In the 1978-79 season the team posted a 43-39 win-loss record, which stood as its best mark for 12 years.

The Clippers' roster during the early 1980s featured veterans such as guard Norm Nixon and centers Swen Nater and Bill Walton, as well as talented young players such as forwards Tom Chambers and Terry Cummings. In 1981 attorney and real estate developer Donald T. Sterling bought the franchise, but when the team failed to reach the playoffs and attendance dropped, he moved the club to Los Angeles in 1984. Sterling hired former Los Angeles Lakers player Elgin Baylor as general manager in 1986. Through a series of trades and top draft picks, Baylor rebuilt the Clippers. Larry Brown took over as head coach during the 1991-92 season and helped the Clippers finish with a winning mark of 45-37. Forward Danny Manning and guard Ron Harper led the team to its first playoff appearance since the 1978-79 season. The team made the playoffs again the next season, but Brown then left the club, which dropped to the bottom of the Pacific Division in the mid-1990s.

The Clippers are currently a franchise on the rebound. They are chock full of young talent and are full of promise. Elton Brand is one of the Western Conference's best big men. Capable of scoring twenty points and ten rebounds every night, Brand gives the Clippers the inside presence they need to compete. Chris Wilcox is a star in the making. The former Maryland Terrapin is big and strong, and with increased minutes he should become a legitimate scoring and rebounding threat. Former NBA Coach of the Year Mike Dunleavy, Sr. came to the Clippers in 2003. His duties were clear. He was charged with the responsibility of turning the young Clipper team into playoff contenders and boosting ticket sales in the process. The Clippers call the Staples Center in the heart of Los Angeles, California their home. The Staples Center is one of the best facilities in all of basketball. It also is an entertainment hotspot in L.A. and hosts some of the hottest bands.

Los Angeles is also home of the Los Angeles Lakers, who share the Staples Center with the Clippers. The Lakers, in contrast to the Clippers, have had tremendous success in the NBA. The Lakers boast eight NBA titles, including two since 2000. The Lakers accumulated one of the greatest lineups of all time in 2003 when they added future Hall of Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton to a lineup that already included Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. The Lakers and Clippers share a rivalry that stems from their obvious geographic closeness. The games tend to favor the Lakers who often triumph. Major League Baseball's Dodgers also call Los Angeles home. The Dodgers play in Dodger Stadium and are led by outfielder Shawn Green. Green has been one of the league's best hitters with 40 plus homeruns three times between 1999 and 2002. The NHL's Los Angeles Kings also share the Staples Center. During the 1990s, the Kings were the home of hockey's all-time greatest player Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky is the NHL's all-time leader in points scored. He received nine MVP honors while winning four Stanley Cups.