Well our beloved clips are 4-2 after dumping the last two (a road blowout against Detroit that was never really in question and a fairly close home loss to Cleveland that was incredibly disturbing) in a row. Why was the loss to the Cavs disturbing? Because as good as the Bron-nites are on the offensive glass, there is just no way, especially down the stretch, that a “good” team gives up so many critical offensive boards. It’s just inexcusable, and sadly, it’s going to continue to be the case as long as a prime feature of the Clippers is “at starting power forward: Tim Thomas.”

I watched every play of that game, and after every Cleveland shot I would mutter to myself “board” and after SO MANY missed shots, again and again and again, a Cavalier somehow came up with the ball while Thomas perplexingly failed to box out. Granted, some of them were weird caroms, some of them were dumb luck, but many of them were just blatant disregard for getting position. Kaman did his part (mostly), but he can’t grab everything. If LA can’t box out on the weak side, they’re toast. And the sad part is, I think they can, I think Tim Thomas is capable, I just think that his brain is mush.

Are we at the point we need to consider starting Paul Davis at the 4? Is Josh Powell so horrendous that he deserves absolutely no minutes? Dunleavy just HAS to start recognizing when Tim Thomas’ shot isn’t falling to a ridiculous degree, because, honestly, if he isn’t making like 5 of 7 threes, I’m really wondering if it’s worth having him out there at all. Let Powell run around for a while and just tell him “grab rebounds.” Even if he’s not succesful, at least it’s someone trying to do it. It’s very difficult right this minute, though, admittedly, to experiment as such with Cat still riding the pine with a groin. (nice). Because we do need that shooting.

Will be interesting to see what happens with the Knicks tonite. One thing, despite being banged up, the clippers have had fortuitous luck with the schedule so far. They still get to play Golden State one more time before Stephen Jackson comes back. And they get the Knicks right as they’re imploding with this whole “Stephon Marbury going AWOL” scenario, which came to be after rumors surfaced of his “role being reduced.” There was even spattering talk of a buyout. So Steph went bye bye. And Isaiah has the veritable lack of nutsack to proclaim that Steph is welcome back anytime and to neither confirm or deny Marbury’s assertion that Thomas told him it was OK to bail off to Key Largo or wherever the hell he went. Nice. Way to demonstrate that authority, Magic-kisser.

Remember, this is the same Knicks team that the first week, off and on, were looking like a playoff squad. Well, Isaiah and Starbury seem to have put that idea in the crapper for the nonce, although don’t get it twisted, there’s a ton of talent in New York, but it’s all convoluted in a great big brain scramble right this second, which is great because they’re playing LA’s bastard stepchildren tonite. Hurrah.