The Lob City Clippers | A Retrospective

The Lob City Los Angeles Clippers were one of the most exciting and iconic teams of the NBA in the 2010s. Chris Paul orchestrated a high flying offense that saw Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan throw down some of the most impressive dunks the NBA had ever seen. Despite having multiple successful regular seasons however, the Clippers never saw any significant playoff success and were eventually disbanded following Chris Paul's trade to Houston in 2017, and Blake Griffin's trade to Detroit in 2018. Despite their lack of playoff success, this team remains and iconic part of NBA History and today we look back on the journey, of the Lob City Clippers.
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[@truedragonash7369]

The reason they kept signing vets was because Doc needed vets to coach themselves.

[@kaminsod4077]

And thus why they never made it to even the conference finals. Turns out Doc can't win shit in the postseason if he doesn't have 3 hall of famers and all the lucky breaks.

[@youngboy2pacdrake]

@@kaminsod4077 “true story last night i sleep your mom next day I win NBA championship im top 3 player” -Kobe Bryant

[@truedragonash7369]

@@kaminsod4077 "Anything is possible!"

[@reefHW215]

😅😅😅😅

[@Redriot4055]

@@youngboy2pacdrake *sleep with -Grammar nazi

[@hhtptai]

And now DeAndre Jordan has a ring as a bench player with the Nuggets. The basketball gods have a sick sense of humor.

[@KidLatin27]

yeah I mean that was awesome for him and the fact that Kobe was almost went to the clippers in 2004 as a Alabama fan that would be like Nick Saban coaching at Auburn like no .😊

[@kelhorton5977]

The 2k13 reference made me cry tears of nostalgia cause the Clippers were so damn good on that game🤣

[@KCB762]

As a cp3 fan, oh yeah 😂😂😂

[@TheVa1das]

@@KCB762 30:04 :02

[@TheVa1das]

30:32 30:32

[@TheVa1das]

@@KCB762 31:13 31:13

[@TheVa1das]

@@KCB762 32:24

[@detectivefabes]

The chemistry between you guys is so fun to listen to, makes a very casual basketball fan interested in the sport! Keep it up especially these retrospectives

[@Alxhapo]

💯facts

[@octaveg8056]

lob city clippers were a major reason for me to start playing basketball

[@youngboy2pacdrake]

“true story last night i sleep your mom next day I win NBA championship im top 3 player” -Kobe Bryant

[@octaveg8056]

@@youngboy2pacdrake ok?

[@Yee2792]

last night i see ur face in moon

[@youngboy2pacdrake]

@@Yee2792 ok

[@AndyMoss100]

Eric Gordon was Very Young a High Draft Pick and a 20ppg Scorer at the time of the trade so that was part of the appeal of the trade

[@lcgw959901]

One thing to mention about the CP3 to the Lakers trade, Many small market teams (Cleveland in particular) were complaining to Stern about competitive balance

[@shady3legend]

Which is crazy because I believe a year later the big 3 in Miami was created so there wasn't no competitive balance in the league anyway....to see a Kobe vs LeBron finals would of been dope but lebron messed it up in 09 losing to the magic and kobe got swept in 11 losing to Dallas...the league wanted that match up bad on levels of magic vs bird, we still haven't gotten that level of a match up status in the finals yet

[@cjvaye99]

​​​@@shady3legendno the big 3 in miami happened in summer 2010. cp3 to the lakers trade was axed in December 2011 about a year and a half later. what did happened tho was the guy who threw the biggest baby temper tantrum and actually wrote the email to commissioner stern was Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, no doubt still angry that LeBron left him for a big market...then 3 years later when LeBron came back and the Cavs got like their 3rd #1 overall pick they got after LeBron left the cavs traded that pick for Kevin Love forming what appeared to be at the time a super team with LeBron, Kyrie and Love. but you know Dan Gilbert he wasnt crying about that it was only when the Lakers got a better team that he complained. a real man of integrity!

[@shady3legend]

@cvaye818 oh yea that's right his ass was crying about that, reason why the deal ain't go down...I dnt know who's a worst owner him or James Dolan frm the Knicks

[@jadynhasstupid2275]

@@shady3legenddolan

[@Fatboyjo2.1]

@@cjvaye99wen did u here all this

[@matthewchen8452]

So, the Clippers trade did actually have some logic behind it. Let me explain: Baron Davis was signed through 2013 on a 5 year, 60 million contract. That doesn't sound like a lot, but the cap was only 58 million back then. So as a percentage of cap, its the equivalent of being on a 5 year, 135 million contract today. Baron Davis was aging poorly, as his game was predicated on athleticism, and he still had those 2 years left on his awful deal. The Clippers, despite having a bottom 8 record, had 2 rising young stars in Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon, and some other young talent with potential with Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Bledsoe, and DeAndre Jordan. They would have been in prime position to lure free agents to the Clippers in either the 2011 or 2012 offseason, with players like Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler up for FA in 2011, but more importantly, a stacked 2012 free agency class on the horizon headlined by Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and Deron Williams. The Clippers believed they were legitimate players that could attract stars in the off-season, and wanted a chance at swinging all-in on this 2012 class. To accomplish this, the Clippers, like the Knicks before them in 2009, were trying to offload salary to have a home-run free agency to land a superstar to pair with their young core. The first round pick was attached as a cap dump to entice the Cavs to take on Davis's horrible contract, which they were willing to do since they sucked and were rebuilding after Lebron's departure. Mo Williams was a throw-in so the Clippers could also add some veteran talent and ensure they still had a playable point guard until they could make a move down the line. The Clippers mistakenly believed the 2011 draft class wasn't deep enough to regret missing out on the number 8 pick (laughs in Kemba, Klay, and Kawhi all being available in that range). So they were willing to give up on the chance at adding that extra talent in exchange for creating the cap room to add a superstar down the road. Backfired horribly when that pick ended up being the #1 pick, but the logic, though flawed, did exist. It wasn't them thinking "yo Mo Williams is worth a top 10 pick let's get it". The sad part of this all? There were 2 things they didn't see coming. The first being CP3 wanting out in 2011 and hitting the market via trade instead of free agency (in addition to Dwight signing his 1-year extension in Orlando to delay free agency until 2013). The second being that during the 2011 lockout, triggered by some of the contracts being signed during the 2010 offseason (hello, Joe Johnson), the amnesty clause was put into place during the 2011 lockout to allow each team to waive one player and have their contract not count towards the salary cap. The Cavs, of course, immediately turned around and used this on Baron Davis, thereby making the point of the Clippers trading him away to dump salary completely moot. Imagine a world where they kept their pick, drafted Kyrie, amnestied Davis, and then didn't trade for CP3, keeping their assets instead. The Clippers would have saved so much money, which could have been used to sign the type of 3 and D forwards that eluded them during the Lob City era. Aminu, while he never lived up to being drafted before Gordon Hayward and PG3 (A++ scouting, Clippers), was still a great defender at the 3 and the 4, which the Clippers desperately needed. Kyrie and Eric Gordon would have been an amazing backcourt if healthy too. And imagine if they ended up using the money they saved by having Kyrie on a rookie deal to add free agents that filled their missing holes, like Andre Iguodala, Luol Deng, or Paul Millsap. There's an alternate world somewhere where the Clippers become the next dynasty. Instead, they did dumb shit and ruined it all. Oh yeah, one other thing - you are vastly underselling what Aminu and Gordon's worth was seen as. Eric Gordon was coming off a season where he averaged 22.3 ppg, at the age of 23. He was definitely someone projected with potential all-NBA franchise star upside (sadly his knees had other plans). And Aminu was only 20 and the 8th pick in 2010, there was hope he could become an all-defensive team shutdown star and develop a competent enough offensive game. From a pure upside standpoint, this was infinitely more appealing to a new owner than getting a package of decent but not franchise changing players in their prime like Lamar Odom and Goran Dragic, plus some first rounders that were going to be in the 20s.

[@Dannylars42069]

Great analysis

[@sergeynazaro1768]

What a breakdown

[@SaltoDaKid]

Yeah too bad most nba fans can’t read a paragraph or understand the purpose of a dump trade.

[@joetheGod13]

Damn bro, you made that trade make sense, good shit

[@urbaindelva7869]

Does anyone know how to save comments? I wanna save this one.

[@AETERNVS]

The WWE references in this are just great! Keep it up guys!

[@macysondheim]

WWE wrestling is staged. It’s not real wrestling. They’re just actors. That’s y it’s called world wrestling entertainment

[@jeffridge3727]

43:51 had me dead lol

[@matthieusaade3616]

This team got me into the nba , and with a real coach i'm convinced they make a Finals appearance

[@dtrain8530]

As an Oklahoma native, I'm a massive Blake Griffin fan and it's a shame that he suffered from the Clips curse

[@fortynights1513]

Cursed or not, he’s one of the best players the team has had in its franchise history.

[@powerbadpowerbad]

His injuries during the regular and playoffs were a constant,especially over the years it worse.

[@joaobrito2653]

It’s crazy how doc rivers gets all the passes from the media because of that 1 Celtics ring. He blew that rockets series, blew the nuggets series in the bubble. Ty lue with the same team and an injured Kawhi did in his first season what doc never did in his entire clippers tenure. Even the Celtics players that won the ring with him have said that they coached themselves, and it shows

[@freshnaproductions2105]

Does the media mean the actual franchises because the media has been hating for a while.

[@F76CC]

This channel has quickly rose to one of my favorite basketball channels on KZbin.

[@Requsio]

Honey WAKE UP. Synthetic sports uploaded

[@jonscottiegrippin]

Most underrated NBA channel on KZbin with another great video. As a 76ers fan, I cannot stand Doc Rivers. But I don't think he gets enough credit for how he handled the team during the whole Donald Sterling fiasco.

[@thepubknight6144]

I'm a diehard Spurs fan and he fumbled getting Tim Duncan in Orlando Hell I'm not complaining I will forever be thankful that he messed that up all because he didn't want Tim's family coming with him to sign with the Magic

[@Andy2150]

Timestamps: 0:00 - 1:12 - Intro 1:13 - 6:29 - Before Lob City 6:30 - 12:37 - 2011/12 12:38 - 17:39 - 2012/13 17:40 - 28:37 - 2013/14 aka the Donald S. Scandal Year 28:38 - 34:37 - 2014/15 34:38 - 40:01 - 2015/16 40:02 - 48:23 - 2016/17

[@torinklutterman3743]

As a warrior fan I still wish these clippers won a conference final or just make one

[@fortynights1513]

If they were in the East of the 2010’s could they have made one?

[@MattHawkesPurdy]

@@fortynights1513probably ya. Just woulda been smacked by LeBron tho like every other team lmao

[@ImActuallyHim1738]

Bro i found this channel like a week ago and ive been nonstop binge watching every night during dinner and every morning after i shower. Its a routine at this point lmao

[@MistahJay7]

One of the best Regular Seasons teams of all time.

[@fortynights1513]

The team no doubt underperformed in the playoffs, but was certainly a good team overall.

[@thepubknight6144]

​@@fortynights1513 Similar to the mid 2000 Suns and Kings And Kudos to Doc for changing his scheme to fit Vinny's

[@kasondekatepa6767]

Great job with the content. I've been wsiting for another 45min one since the bubble retrospective

[@ShadowWizard224]

I’ve been a clippers fan since 2006 when Chauncey Billups and Chris Kaman were on the team. Our best team and best year by far was 2015. I still can’t believe we let the Rockets come back from being down 3-1. We should of went to the finals that year…. Been around for over 50 years and have never touched the NBA finals. Fuck the curse!!!!!!! 😡

[@dindie12]

keep it up guys, love your content! cheers from Italy!

[@Maqwell]

This has quickly become one of my favorite channels atm

[@Buggy99]

30+ MINUTE VID LETS GO! GONNA WATCH THIS ON MY LUNCH BREAK!

[@hspermy892]

As a Jazz fan that has only been watching basketball since 2013 that 2016-17 Jazz team is still my favorite

[@smh-TV]

Valid 2k13 take. Bro everyone loved using the clips. I’m surprised they were ranked 11th that team was goated in game. Irl they were good but unlucky and unfortunately managed/coached.

[@SiahThe2nd]

This was such an amazing video, you guys knock it out the park every time!! Also I never knew that a pic with Magic was what upset Sterling in the 1st place. It's like bruh, you know what sport you're involved in right?

[@acedagreat25]

Lob City got me into basketball so I'll always be a clippers fan but I'll always dread looking back at the 2014 thunder series and the 2015 rockets series. Watching that in real time was horrible

[@fortynights1513]

A team that underachieved in the playoffs, and left fans wanting more I’m sure. But simultaneously, I’m sure this team was fun to see for fans after the team had struggled immensely in the previous decades. I once heard Rusty Buckets compare the way the 90’s Sonics played to the way this one did. Is that accurate?

[@GreenEyesGian]

Somewhat. 90's Sonics were more of a "precursor" to Lob City so not that straightforward of a comparison. Yet most likely the closest one possible

[@farezjohnson508]

Amazing vid! Love the deep dives

[@logangamboa2922]

Please keep doing these, my absolute favorite videos!!

[@autolife2785]

It's funny that you just posted this video. I LITERALLY was just talking to my coworkers at my job about how much I missed the 2012 season, and how amazing this team was to watch. That year was probably my favorite year to watch. Amazing teams: Lob City Clippers Miami Heat big 3: James, Wade, and Bosh Boston Celtics: Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, Allen Thunder: KD, Harden, and Westbrook Lakers: Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Odom. Sorry for the rant, but this was the most exciting season of the NBA to me

[@davidlaush180]

I will always remember the Lob City Clippers because I watched the documentary (Blackballed) on the Donald Sterling situation. Made me wish they could've won a title as redemption for going through that horrid era. That said, I appreciate this recap you made because I didn't really follow the NBA growing up so I get to revisit it vicariously through your videos.

[@cjinyeonshin2768]

we need at least one retrospective vids every couple weeks. these are so entertaining!

[@onleatherwings6273]

Loving these long retrospective videos guys

[@_AL_2408]

Man I love these a retrospective videos. Real good stuff

[@saimengqiao7474]

Loving your content! Keep up the good works lads

[@andrewhill4365]

I don’t like speaking on peoples jobs but I’ve always said doc would be a great assistant head coach. Like how mike brown did with warriors. Doc a great people person and can understand some players minds better but his coaching X’s and O’s are shit. He has showed wayyyyy to many times he can’t get his team right or keep his team right

[@TorontoWire]

No cap without Lob City, Balmer probably moves the team over to Seattle. It's a bittersweet trade, we didn't know was made

[@therealjaystone2344]

They are moving to a new arena in LA so they aren’t going anywhere

[@TorontoWire]

@@therealjaystone2344 Never said they were

[@tijmenvanderschaar2849]

As a new nba fan, It's really nice to learn about some nba history this way!!

[@cmcmcm7]

love the time reels on videos

[@ravelcruz2508]

This is my first time here - awesome content. You gained a subscriber!

[@withalittlehelpfrom3]

I was a Grizzlies fan during this run-glad to be reminded of Zach Randolph’s son.

[@maruwapofilms815]

I'm glad you guys talked about the Donald Sterling stuff. Very respectably said.

[@jaylenbarnes2.079]

Yay another retrospective video

[@MikeJr9284]

The Clippers had a prime CP3, Deandre Jordan, and Blake Griffin, yet they still couldn’t win a ring. Talk about a missed opportunity.

[@fortynights1513]

Could better coaching have helped? Also, not that they beat the Heat or Cavs with LeBron, but could that roster have made the Eastern Conference Finals if they were in the East?

[@morgan_made]

Y’all forgot to mention DeAndre Jordan signing with the Mavs in free agency in 2018. Oh the irony.

[@burgerchild]

Y’all need to talk about blazers trade rumors. Love the energy of your vids, feels like talking with a homie, super natural. Keep it up. -a fellow blazers fan (masochist)

[@ghostflame9211]

growing up a lakers fan, there was a significant number of people who rooted for the clippers only because they hated the lakers. and in reality, they werent clippers fans. they just hated kobe and the lakers. and 06 made me so sad. we had a chance to get a clippers/lakers series for the first time ever, but kobe and the lakers blew a 3-1 lead vs the suns... still stings to this day 😢

[@OrlandoMagic23]

Great video guys! I really enjoy your content. A cool topic to discuss would be talking about players who came out of nowhere. One of my favorite seasons was 2011, when Jeremy Lin came out balling and the Linsanity hype was real. I went to New York at that time and bought myself a Linsanity t-shirt. 😂😂😂

[@powerbadpowerbad]

Yeah,Jeremy turned his 5 minutes of fame into a nice,bigfat contract.

[@salaheddinefathallah2033]

Beautiful video!

[@kaustubhtandon8131]

Keep at it guys. You guys dish out peak content video after video. Already 🐐 Goat 🐐 level NBA KZbinrs. (That retro music in the intros are sick af. Link please 🙏🙏)

[@synthetic_sports]

Our intro music is the multiplayer menu theme from Black Ops: Cold War Link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpi9iJ6AbaafjM0

[@bornashamloo]

Y'all should do a retrospective on the 1st Round of the 2014 Playoffs aka the GOAT first round in Playoff History

[@cjvaye99]

I am loving this series that's looking back at the really good teams that didnt win the championship! Hoping to see the early to mid 2000 Pacers especially that 04-05 team that was stacked and was destroying the defending champs when the malice happened and completely exploded their chances and also poor Reggie Millers shot at a championship

[@maxp2305]

Shout-out DJ for finally winning a ring

[@maxrodriguez889]

and now this man CP is with the warriors.... wow

[@xenonmaster6668]

It’s crazy that Steve Balmer owned the clippers on my 11th birthday which is crazy!

[@steelproven]

Love this channel

[@mellowdg]

Make more longer vids like these!!!!

[@AhJeezEnt]

As a Laker fan that was in middle and high school during this era, I hated this team with such a passion lol

[@TheGameCube64Guy]

Same

[@Tyoxy]

Great great video!

[@lakerfan2874]

If Kobe was a Clipper, I would've been a Clippers fan and not learn about the history of the Lakers.

[@runawaymakefriendswiththem8905]

why haven’t I heard of you guys yet? amazing content, you guys have great chemistry for this type of analysis. gives bsolz and sage vibes, but minus bsolz being painfully cringe the entire time

[@jeffridge3727]

You guys are awesome

[@claytonphillips85]

This was an exciting team to watch during that time period

[@ericdwayneh]

I love the COD Cold War music in the intro

[@henrysmith4984]

A new retrospective yes!!

[@Nate21207]

best sports channel out there

[@lonesometroll621]

The Lob City Clippers is what made me a Clippers fan. Take what you want from that sentence.

[@crownregis]

Just started the video but i already know it's gonna be a banger, my like though is up to if you guys included #RIPBrandonKnight poster Edit: Never let this clip die, NBA's Dunk of the Decade 14:36

[@jakey_hendy]

It’s a good day when the bois post a 48 min video

[@Serocco]

Grit and Grind Grizzlies next!

[@540jade]

4:21 I deadass looked away and averted my eyes 😂

[@days5516]

ima lifelong clippers fan, this team forever has a place in my heart

[@kevinandrewsphoto]

As a Warrior fan, these Clippers always felt like the big brother we couldn’t beat. Until the Warriors grew up and never looked back. But there was a couple seasons where they just owned us.

[@them4580]

2015 should’ve been their year

[@peamm7987]

surely do a video on linsanity! your content is so good

[@TheDarkbluerock]

I loved watching them play. It's a shame they didn't have a good coach.

[@goat369]

In the most respectful way you sound damn near like the guy on the "Mind Pulp" channel the guy who spoke first in the first 15 seconds of this video. and whats even crazier is that the two channels are similar in their structure with an entertaining duo covering various topics in their specific genre of entertainment that's pretty cool lmfao

[@SometimesCompitent]

The Baron Davis trade was for clearing cap space. They had to include the pick to incentivize someone to take his bad contract off their hands. Mo Willems wasn't really the point.

[@enomfonsammy5646]

48 mins on the clippers?? Belts buckled, let's gooo😂

[@days5516]

back again as a lifelong die hard clippers fan ☹️ we r better now btw i used this vid in an essay as a source

[@andrewhill4365]

Bro the clippers being in la has always been so stupid to me. Like makes no ducking sense and there are so many more cities that would make a great nba team. The lakers are literally top 2 franchises of all time lmao like it just looks weird being two teams

[@Ssjgeek]

@11:04 Gilbert was really on the journey man arc dam I thought he was better then tht the way he b talkign wild 😂😂💀

[@jaycarter646]

More videos like this!

[@geeker3436]

The shirt is goated😂😂😂

[@YungKilla46]

Like the vid, but you need to do more research into the CP3 trade. Eric Gordon was a young player coming off an amazing year and looked destined for stardom, Aminu had been picked top 10 the year prior, and Kaman was a decent player probably used for salary matching. In hindsight, sure, it was a fleece, but that was a pretty standard trade package in the NBA at the time and calling each piece horrible and writing it off is lazy considering the fact that 2-3 of those players had seemingly bright futures at the time.

[@Parkafterrdark]

I was in my friends house the entire summer before senior year of hs and I remember the rumors about cp getting traded hours before and it was reported to be the rockets. I took a shower got out and cp was a rocket. I lost my mind.

[@RJ_824]

i remember the clippers were up double digits in game 2 of the '14 and '15 semis looking to go up 2-0 on those series on the road, and they lost both those games lol

[@the_seahawk22]

44:52 bro I’m crying laughing right now 😂 wtf does that shirt mean

[@MegaMjjordan]

That 4:25 is a fucking PlatinumDiamond!!😂😂 Captured exactly how they’d feel.

[@Peezy15]

Brandon Knight really blew a wide open (full court) game winning layup in OT. That’s like the worst case scenario you could ever think of 😂😂😂😂😂

[@TheAbstract9000]

y’know… i feel for you guys when you say how hard it is being a blazers fan. i get it. but i would like to point out that NOTHING is more painful than being a lifelong clippers fan. on top of that, i’m also an angels fan and chargers fan. my loyalty was rewarded with one championship by the angels and that’s it. nothing but heartache and wasting of superstars before and since :(

[@Yoshi70223]

How doc rivers stayed so long is something I’ll never understand

[@yahyadiacko1511]

Raymond Felton Caught a Stray😭😭😭

[@youngboy2pacdrake]

you mean draymond green?

[@JD-iu6rv]

Before this team the only memorable thing about the Clippers was that scene from Fresh Prince where Will meets Santa and he says “I didn’t know Santa was a Clippers fan?” and Santa says “I’m not. They’re the only team that has my colors.”

[@wildtacocat]

I mean I’d trade the 1st round pick for Andrew Wiggins not gonna get anyone else with Portland’s front office

[@frostyflakkes2692]

This was the most entertaining team in NBA history. I’ll stand on that.

[@pedrojpeguero]

20k 🔥

[@ethanschultz7480]

Can we get a Mo Williams retrospective