The Los Angeles Clippers are one of two NBA teams (Toronto Raptors being the other) to have not retired any of their players’ jerseys. Former Clippers head coach Doc Rivers thinks that will change in the coming years and he believes Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan should have their jerseys retired.
“I wanted to retire a jersey,” Rivers said. “There was no jersey to retire and so I looked at our guys and said, ‘So we have to build a tradition here.’ I think there will be jerseys coming forward. I think Blake. I think DJ 100% should be. And I think Chris Paul. So now, they’re starting to create a history, and that’s important for franchises and that was what we wanted to do.”
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Doc Rivers told me he believes Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and CP3 should have their jerseys retired with the Clippers.
“I wanted to retire a jersey. There was no jersey to retire… I think there will be jerseys coming forward. Blake. I think DJ 100% should be. And I think… pic.twitter.com/BGh0PTby81
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 11, 2024
I agree with Rivers as well. Sure, Paul, Griffin, and Jordan never really came close to winning a championship with the Clippers, but they helped usher in what was the first-ever period of sustained success for the franchise
In the six seasons that all three were teammates from 2011-12 to 2016-17, the Clippers amassed a 313-163 record. They won at least 50 games in all of those campaigns, except for the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season, in which they went 40-26.
They were an incredibly fun team to watch those years as well and earned the nickname “Lob City,” as Paul would often toss the ball up in the air for Griffin and Jordan to slam it in. The only thing missing was that championship, but it shouldn’t take away from how special that era was for the Clippers franchise.
It was Paul’s arrival in 2011 via trade from the New Orleans Hornets that got things going. In his six seasons as a Clipper, he averaged 18.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. You could make an argument for him to be the greatest Clipper ever.
If not Paul, then you would go with Griffin, whom the Clippers selected with the first pick of the 2009 NBA Draft. He put up averages of 21.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game during his time with the franchise.
While Jordan wasn’t as good or impactful as Paul and Griffin, he played his part extremely well. Jordan averaged 9.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game as a Clipper after they selected him with the 35th pick of the 2009 NBA Draft. He was their defensive anchor and twice finished in the top three in voting for Defensive Player of the Year.
Griffin’s No. 32, Paul’s No. 3, and Jordan’s No. 6 should be hanging in the rafters a few years down the road. Now, you might wonder if there could be an issue with Jordan’s, as Bill Russell’s No. 6 has been retired league-wide. Teams have actually retired the same number for two separate players in the past, so there shouldn’t be a problem.
Doc Rivers Explained Why The ‘Lob City’ Clippers Didn’t Win A Title
Rivers became head coach of the Clippers in 2013 and at the time, it felt like he, Paul, Griffin, and Jordan would get the Clippers over the line at some point. They weren’t able to and in 2023, Rivers revealed why the ‘Lob City’ Clippers didn’t win a title.
“Not trying to take anything away from that team. That team was never going to win when you look back at it. We just didn’t get along well enough as a group and you can’t win without cooperation.”
Paul and Griffin reportedly didn’t get along all that well and you could make the case that was what doomed the Clippers. They just weren’t a very united group and you have to be that to win.
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