10 Feet High

Apparently the curse of the Clippers never ends. Rookie of the Year candidate Blake Griffin will miss at least six weeks with a broken kneecap, and sadly enough, I wasn’t even surprised. Sure, the guy is an absolute specimen who appears indestructible. But put him on the Clippers, and one day before the season opener, he ends up on the injured list. I cannot help but feel for Clipper fans and more importantly, for Griffin. I’ve been saying for weeks that this is the season the Clips put it all together, and get back to the playoffs. But now what? How will their young star recover?

We’ve seen young big men have injury issues before. Greg Oden still doesn’t look like the dominant force at Ohio State that made him the No. 1 pick in 2007. Amare Stoudemire seems to have recovered fully from a more serious injury. Andrew Bogut – another No. 1 pick – has never had the ceiling of a Griffin or Oden, but he too has struggled staying healthy with a gimpy back. Yao Ming is simply incapable of playing a full season, and some speculate he may not play again. Al Jefferson is coming off knee surgery and appears healthy, but who knows.

This is not meant to scare Clippers fans or to say Griffin won’t be a great player. But knee injuries are always scary, especially for big men, who tax their bodies more. The pounding in the post that a center or power forward takes cannot be understated, and although I fully expect Griffin to come back strong, nothing is for certain.

In the backcourt, the question is the fit between Baron Davis and Eric Gordon. As a rookie last season, Gordon shined as a shot-maker, who could not only come off screens, but also create his own offense. Gordon averaged 16 points, but got to the line a staggering five times per game, converting on 85 percent. With Davis now healthy, he clearly wants to produce the way that made him a two-time NBA All-Star and one of the game’s most respected point guards.

Leading up to the season, I’ve heard the grumblings of concern that Davis might be stunting Gordon's growth. But I think there is no doubt that these two can co-exist in the backcourt. First, Gordon is as emotionally mature of a kid as you’ll find for being just 20. He is a team-first guy who, despite his scoring prowess, doesn’t seem to mind doing less of it so long as the Clippers are winning. But truthfully, he is too talented a player not to score. I’ve mentioned before how impressed I’ve been with Gordon’s ability to get to the cup and finish through contact. We knew he could stroke the three when he left Indiana as a freshman, but what I failed to realize was how dynamic a playmaker he was.

Davis, on the other hand, is at the juncture in his career where he needs to win. He’s 30 -- right in his prime -- and the growth of another guard like Gordon will only help for his quest of a championship. This team is still a couple years away, but Davis is inked through 2013, and the momentum the Clippers can create this season could lead them into title contention down the road.

The improvement of Gordon will ultimately help Davis win. Let’s examine further. Other than his individual ability, what has made Baron so successful in the past? In his final season with Golden State -- where he averaged 21.8 points and 7.6 assists -- he had another killer scorer in Stephen Jackson, as well as the young Monta Ellis. Gordon may lack the sheer explosiveness of Ellis, but is similar too, in that he is a smaller guard who knows how to create offense.

Davis is cerebral enough a player to understand the significance of a player like Gordon, and how much his growth can not only help him, but also help the Clippers as a whole. He may take a couple less shots per game, but lots of those looks can go to driving and dishing to Gordon, who loves to shoot the triple. I expect monstrous years from these two, and furthermore, I think the Clippers have a legitimate opportunity to make the playoffs.

I hope that answers the question.

Another storyline to watch closely is the development of second-year center DeAndre Jordan. The uber-athletic big man came on strong last season – even going 11-12 from the floor in one outing - showing why many had projected him as a lottery pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-11 Jordan is a superb athlete with the potential to become a dominating shot blocker. He is still very green, but shows an uncanny ability to time shots. Once he does this, it’s all a matter of leaping ability and those long arms. Like most young shot blockers, he has a tendency to swat the ball as hard as possible, which often creates an extra possession for the opposition. I’m not saying he has to become Bill Russell and start tipping balls to teammates, but in time, he needs to learn to control certain blocks, and give his guards an opportunity to snatch them. This not only eliminates extra possessions for opponents, but also creates fast break scenarios for Clipper guards, in particular Davis, who is as good in transition as anybody.

Jordan still has no real concept of how to operate down low. Many of his points come from put-backs and feeds. There is no question he has the skills to grown into an effective back-to-the-basket force. His size alone is helpful, but Jordan demonstrates a relatively soft touch for such a young kid, and being left-handed, already has a distinct advantage because of the mismatches he creates.

Just 21, he finds himself in a unique situation playing for LA. Veterans Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman are the clear-cut starters at this point, given that Griffin is out for six weeks. Jordan doesn’t have to come off the bench and necessarily look for offense, but rather can learn the game inside out and contribute on the glass and on the defensive end.

Despite his size, he has very quick feet and oddly good hands. Throw it anywhere around him and he’ll get it. If he is close to a rebound, he’ll corral it away. One of the knocks on the youngster has been his free throw shooting. Last season, he shot a putrid 39 percent, and given his physical nature down low, getting to the line is only a formality. But reports are that he’s steadily improved, and the preseason is a good indicator.

His energy and athleticism will help space the floor for Davis and Eric Gordon, and his shot blocking threat – along with Camby – will seriously clog driving lanes for opposing guards.

The Clippers did the right thing this past summer letting the cancerously selfish Zach Randolph walk in free agency. Despite his 20-10 performances, Randolph will never be the culprit of a winning team. Kaman has three seasons left under contract, while Camby is set to become a free agent after this season.

The opportunity for Jordan to become a star is there. Potential wise, he's scary. Now he must develop his his offensive game, particularly on the block, and of course, improve from the line. He must learn how to pass out of double-teams as well, and stay out of foul trouble. All of this is part of the maturation process for any young player, especially a big man.