Clipper Game in LA?

A little while ago, a group of us set out to watch a Clipper game at the Staple Center in Los Angeles. It was pretty exciting, a few of us had recently been re-energized by the prospect of the other LA team delivering a product worthy of pilgrimmage salutations. Member Blake Griffin had just recently impressed the world in this years slam dunk contest by scaling a Kia Optima to catch an alley-oop pass for a dunk from local product, Baron Davis, in his effort to blow away the feild and win the NBA's 2011 Slam Dunk contest. We believed...we bought in - we wanted to see... Unfortunately, although I have followed the Clippers for years, I had never been so inspired as to don any type of Clipper fan-type paraphanlia (stuff). This night I was soon to regret that I did not have a Clipper T shirt....

I eventually made it into the Staple Center (the 100 section), we had great seats. Perhaps the pictures I have here don't really give it justice. It was very easy to make out who the players were down on the court. And, it was easy to see the shot clock and etc. The angle was good for viewing the court.

But, at some point while settling into the chair, I must have been propelled through one of those worm holes that they're always talking about on the Discovery and SyFy channel. Because somehow and someway, I landed in Boston - what, is it Boston Garden where they play. You know, those Celtics play. Them, the others - I thought the enemy to all things basketball in LA. I thought there was a stop along the highway/ freeway along the California border where they confiscated things like; out-of-State fruit, produce, and Boston Celtic fan stuff.

I think they must have smuggled it in. Yeh, they must have smuggled in all the green Celtic jerseys and T shirts and sweatshirts and etc. But, all those smuggler type Boston Celtic fans were all over the Staple Center. As the game got under way, there was more cheering for the Celtics than there was for the Clippers. Iit felt like the Boston Garden. I was getting in the mood for a trip out to Cambridge, Massachusetts - or, to the banks of the Charles River - or, to Faneuil Hall - aka the "Cradle of Liberty".... Then I remembered that I was there for a basketball game in LA. So why all the green and Celtic fan stuff and the cheering for the wrong team? I guess the Celtics are an older well established team, which like the Lakers, that has a fan following throughout the nation. So, during the game I just cringed at the cheering and rode it out.....

Unfortunately, the Clippers lost. However, I just heard today that the Clippers actually got vengeance and beat the Celtics tonight in Boston 108 to 103. However, I don't think there were any Clipper paraphanalia in Boston Garden. I don't think so, but it would've been sweet if I were out there in Boston surrounded by Clipper fans the way I was surrounded by Celtic fans that Saturday night in Los Angeles. Cheers louder than the home team for the Clippers, yeh - sweet.

During the game Ralph Lawler was honored for having his 2,500th broadcast. As a result, Bill Walton was there to help in giving him a plaque and a Rolex watch.