I am going to force this site to adopt the Clippers!!!
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" bgColor=#eaeaea><TBODY><TR><TD>POSTED: October 5th, 2005</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width=225 bgColor=#000000><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" bgColor=#eaeaea><TBODY><TR><TD width=225><CENTER>A row of Clippers limbers up before Tuesday's practice. </CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>On yet another flawless Santa Barbara morning, the Clippers went back to work for their third practice of training camp and the second of three two-a-day workouts. Coach Mike Dunleavy again stressed conditioning and had the team running for most of the morning.
“We did a three-man weave drill in sixty seconds where you have to score 10 baskets,” said Dunleavy. “If you score 11 baskets as a group you’re done but in order to do that you have to hit a half court shot. In order to get 11 you need guys with speed and endurance.”
While the head coach was pleased with the effort for the most part, he acknowledged that the Clippers need more work in order to be ready for the preseason opener versus Dallas a week from today at STAPLES Center.
“I was a little disappointed in the conditioning of some of the guys trying to make the team,” said Dunleavy. “I told them that they had to pick it up. Elton and Kaman ran the floor great and Wilcox, Rebraca and McCarty were pretty good too. We need to do more conditioning though.”
Dunleavy spent the final portion of the morning going over more offensive sets with the team before practice finished up with free throws. With Corey Maggette away from the team with his family and with Shaun Livingston and Zeljko Rebraca, rookies James Singleton and Yaroslav Korolev worked in with the first unit of Sam Cassell, Cuttino Mobley, Elton Brand and Chris Kaman. Chris Wilcox, Walter McCarty and Daniel Ewing also worked in with the first group. Dunleavy told reporters that the team should be at full strength soon.
“We have three guys who are projected to be in our top eight that aren’t able to practice with full force,” said Dunleavy. “Maggette of course is (with his family in Chicago), Rebraca did the running today and I think he’ll be able to go through the full practice tomorrow. Livingston has a sore lower back but did some things today but we will probably hold him out of contact for a little while.”
While being held out of contact for precautionary reasons, Livingston is working hard with the Clippers training staff and also on his jump shot.
“He’s been shooting the ball great and it’s very obvious that he is a much better shooter,” Dunleavy said.
<HR>STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION
<HR>Although he didn’t wow the gym with a tip-dunk like James Singleton off a missed free throw or drain multiple jumpers like Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley, Dunleavy was very happy with the play of rookie forward Yaroslav Korolev in last night’s scrimmage.
“I went over the film of our scrimmage last night and a couple of players were better than I had originally thought,” said Dunleavy. “They were doing the little things that don’t show up on the stat sheet. Korolev was one of those guys. At the end of the night he ended up with four or five rebounds just out of good work and hustle. He also made four or five nice plays for assists and scored a few baskets.”
Korolev’s scrimmage highlight was an around the back pass in traffic that set up an open jumper for Quinton Ross, who has played well through the first three practices. While Korolev is a work in progress, the team is extremely pleased to have him in camp this year.
“Sometimes you forget that he is 18 years old,” said Dunleavy. “Anytime I start thinking of him in terms of that he is 18, I love him. In terms of stepping in and doing what he can do, we’ll see. Like a little flower, we’ll keep watering him and see what grows. He’s learning and he’s not out-classed in any way.”
This is the second consecutive season that Dunleavy is faced with the task of introducing a prep player to the National Basketball Association although he cautioned reporters not to make the comparison between Korolev and Shaun Livingston.
“What I always said about Shaun last year was that I was never worried about his lack of strength because of the position he plays,” said Dunleavy of Livingston. “He has great size and length for his position. The point guard position is not one of strength, it is one of finesse and he has that. After seeing him play for a couple days defensively (last year) I knew right away he could play.”
While Korolev exhibits a similar knowledge of the game as Livingston, he needs to be able to defend forwards in order to earn his minutes.
“What I see right now with Korolev, is that he is probably more suitable to the two-spot or point-forward,” said Dunleavy. “Defensively, he’s very knowledgeable about where he’s supposed to be on the floor. He plays well on the perimeter, but needs work on defending in the post. [However] I’m really glad we brought him (over from Russia).”
<HR>KEY FACTOR
<HR>Dunleavy told reporters that fourth-year forward Chris Wilcox is a big key to the Clippers playoff chances this season. Wilcox figures to combine with Elton Brand, Chris Kaman and Zeljko Rebraca to give the Clippers one of the deepest frontcourts in the league.
“It’s a huge year for him,” said Dunleavy. “He’s been in the league and had some success but not consistent success which he needs to show. He has the tools and is familiar with our system and is really big key to our success. If he has a great year then we will definitely make the playoffs.”
Wilcox is excited for the season to begin and knows that while Dunleavy and his teammates are behind him that it is up to him to be a difference maker.
“It’s great knowing that he has the confidence in me to go out and perform and it motivates me to go out and play well for him,” said Wilcox of Dunleavy. “I need to rebound and block shots but I also need to bring energy to the team when I am on the floor. Guys look for me to bring energy and get the crowd involved.”
Wilcox got off to a fast start last season as a starter but saw his minutes decrease once Chris Kaman returned to the lineup from injury. The opportunity is there for Wilcox to play major minutes this season if he can produce.
“If he can beat out one of the two guys in front of him, then go for it, it’s open,” said Dunleavy. “I had a couple of conversations with him this summer and told him that if we didn’t believe in him and what he can do, then we would have moved him a long time ago. He has great tools. If he can get a rebound every three or three and half minutes and defend his position, then there will be plenty of minutes.”
While every player here at camp would like to start, Wilcox seems more concerned with helping his team win games.
“I’m not the type of guy who demands to start or to have a certain role,” said Wilcox. “Whatever my role is, I’m going to bring energy. I want to fit in wherever my team needs me and most importantly, win games.”
<HR>ROSTER MOVE
<HR>With Corey Maggette, Shaun Livingston and Zeljko Rebraca either away from the team or limited, the Clippers opted to release guard Frank Williams who signed with the team on Saturday. Williams left the morning practice yesterday with migraine headaches that also kept him out of the last two practices.
“The problem with Frank was that we never saw him,” said Dunleavy. “He developed migraine headaches and couldn’t do much. We need bodies so we made the move but that’s not to say we wouldn’t bring him back again.”
The team expects to add another player by tonight’s practice.
<HR>THE WORD FROM YUTA
<HR>“We did a lot of running today which was good,” said Tabuse. “Because I’m the smallest player out there, I have to show how quick I can be and use that to my advantage.”
<HR>INJURY REPORT
<HR>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" bgColor=#eaeaea><TBODY><TR><TD>POSTED: October 5th, 2005</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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“We did a three-man weave drill in sixty seconds where you have to score 10 baskets,” said Dunleavy. “If you score 11 baskets as a group you’re done but in order to do that you have to hit a half court shot. In order to get 11 you need guys with speed and endurance.”
While the head coach was pleased with the effort for the most part, he acknowledged that the Clippers need more work in order to be ready for the preseason opener versus Dallas a week from today at STAPLES Center.
“I was a little disappointed in the conditioning of some of the guys trying to make the team,” said Dunleavy. “I told them that they had to pick it up. Elton and Kaman ran the floor great and Wilcox, Rebraca and McCarty were pretty good too. We need to do more conditioning though.”
Dunleavy spent the final portion of the morning going over more offensive sets with the team before practice finished up with free throws. With Corey Maggette away from the team with his family and with Shaun Livingston and Zeljko Rebraca, rookies James Singleton and Yaroslav Korolev worked in with the first unit of Sam Cassell, Cuttino Mobley, Elton Brand and Chris Kaman. Chris Wilcox, Walter McCarty and Daniel Ewing also worked in with the first group. Dunleavy told reporters that the team should be at full strength soon.
“We have three guys who are projected to be in our top eight that aren’t able to practice with full force,” said Dunleavy. “Maggette of course is (with his family in Chicago), Rebraca did the running today and I think he’ll be able to go through the full practice tomorrow. Livingston has a sore lower back but did some things today but we will probably hold him out of contact for a little while.”
While being held out of contact for precautionary reasons, Livingston is working hard with the Clippers training staff and also on his jump shot.
“He’s been shooting the ball great and it’s very obvious that he is a much better shooter,” Dunleavy said.
<HR>STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION
<HR>Although he didn’t wow the gym with a tip-dunk like James Singleton off a missed free throw or drain multiple jumpers like Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley, Dunleavy was very happy with the play of rookie forward Yaroslav Korolev in last night’s scrimmage.
“I went over the film of our scrimmage last night and a couple of players were better than I had originally thought,” said Dunleavy. “They were doing the little things that don’t show up on the stat sheet. Korolev was one of those guys. At the end of the night he ended up with four or five rebounds just out of good work and hustle. He also made four or five nice plays for assists and scored a few baskets.”
Korolev’s scrimmage highlight was an around the back pass in traffic that set up an open jumper for Quinton Ross, who has played well through the first three practices. While Korolev is a work in progress, the team is extremely pleased to have him in camp this year.
“Sometimes you forget that he is 18 years old,” said Dunleavy. “Anytime I start thinking of him in terms of that he is 18, I love him. In terms of stepping in and doing what he can do, we’ll see. Like a little flower, we’ll keep watering him and see what grows. He’s learning and he’s not out-classed in any way.”
This is the second consecutive season that Dunleavy is faced with the task of introducing a prep player to the National Basketball Association although he cautioned reporters not to make the comparison between Korolev and Shaun Livingston.
“What I always said about Shaun last year was that I was never worried about his lack of strength because of the position he plays,” said Dunleavy of Livingston. “He has great size and length for his position. The point guard position is not one of strength, it is one of finesse and he has that. After seeing him play for a couple days defensively (last year) I knew right away he could play.”
While Korolev exhibits a similar knowledge of the game as Livingston, he needs to be able to defend forwards in order to earn his minutes.
“What I see right now with Korolev, is that he is probably more suitable to the two-spot or point-forward,” said Dunleavy. “Defensively, he’s very knowledgeable about where he’s supposed to be on the floor. He plays well on the perimeter, but needs work on defending in the post. [However] I’m really glad we brought him (over from Russia).”
<HR>KEY FACTOR
<HR>Dunleavy told reporters that fourth-year forward Chris Wilcox is a big key to the Clippers playoff chances this season. Wilcox figures to combine with Elton Brand, Chris Kaman and Zeljko Rebraca to give the Clippers one of the deepest frontcourts in the league.
“It’s a huge year for him,” said Dunleavy. “He’s been in the league and had some success but not consistent success which he needs to show. He has the tools and is familiar with our system and is really big key to our success. If he has a great year then we will definitely make the playoffs.”
Wilcox is excited for the season to begin and knows that while Dunleavy and his teammates are behind him that it is up to him to be a difference maker.
“It’s great knowing that he has the confidence in me to go out and perform and it motivates me to go out and play well for him,” said Wilcox of Dunleavy. “I need to rebound and block shots but I also need to bring energy to the team when I am on the floor. Guys look for me to bring energy and get the crowd involved.”
Wilcox got off to a fast start last season as a starter but saw his minutes decrease once Chris Kaman returned to the lineup from injury. The opportunity is there for Wilcox to play major minutes this season if he can produce.
“If he can beat out one of the two guys in front of him, then go for it, it’s open,” said Dunleavy. “I had a couple of conversations with him this summer and told him that if we didn’t believe in him and what he can do, then we would have moved him a long time ago. He has great tools. If he can get a rebound every three or three and half minutes and defend his position, then there will be plenty of minutes.”
While every player here at camp would like to start, Wilcox seems more concerned with helping his team win games.
“I’m not the type of guy who demands to start or to have a certain role,” said Wilcox. “Whatever my role is, I’m going to bring energy. I want to fit in wherever my team needs me and most importantly, win games.”
<HR>ROSTER MOVE
<HR>With Corey Maggette, Shaun Livingston and Zeljko Rebraca either away from the team or limited, the Clippers opted to release guard Frank Williams who signed with the team on Saturday. Williams left the morning practice yesterday with migraine headaches that also kept him out of the last two practices.
“The problem with Frank was that we never saw him,” said Dunleavy. “He developed migraine headaches and couldn’t do much. We need bodies so we made the move but that’s not to say we wouldn’t bring him back again.”
The team expects to add another player by tonight’s practice.
<HR>THE WORD FROM YUTA
<HR>“We did a lot of running today which was good,” said Tabuse. “Because I’m the smallest player out there, I have to show how quick I can be and use that to my advantage.”
<HR>INJURY REPORT
<HR>
- Forward Corey Maggette remains in Chicago due to a family emergency.
- Guard Shaun Livingston (sore lower back) participated in all drill work during the morning practice but was held out of contact drills as a precautionary measure.
- Center Zeljko Rebraca (left knee patella tendinitis) participated in all drill work during the morning practice but was held out of contact drills as a precautionary measure.
arty:
