Los Angeles Clippers and Related Topics

Buffalo Braves

American professional basketball franchise based in Buffalo, New York.

Ernie DiGregorio was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1973–74 after leading the NBA in assists and free throw percentage.

Bob McAdoo (11) was the NBA MVP in the 1974–75 season after averaging 34.5 points per game and 14.1 rebounds per game.

The franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1984, and is now known as the Los Angeles Clippers.

Blake Griffin

American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Griffin in a game against the Washington Wizards on March 12, 2011

Griffin (left) and Zach Randolph of the Memphis Grizzlies in a 2013 game

Griffin was selected first overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2009 NBA draft, and has since been a six-time NBA All-Star and a five-time All-NBA selection.

Paul at his twelfth All-Star Game in 2022

Chris Paul

American professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Paul speaks with Hornets coach Byron Scott in March 2009

Paul answers questions at a youth basketball camp in July 2009

Paul runs the offense at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing

He was instead dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers later that year.

Donald T. Sterling (né Tokowitz; April 26, 1934) is an American attorney and businessman who was the owner of the San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers professional basketball franchise of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1981 to 2014.

Jordan with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2013

DeAndre Jordan

American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Jordan watching as Chris Paul runs the offense in 2017.

Jordan, a regular recipient of the Hack-a-Shaq strategy, about to take a free throw in 2013.

Jordan was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round of the 2008 NBA draft with the 35th overall pick.

NBA Conference Finals

The National Basketball Association Conference Finals are the Eastern and Western championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA), a major professional basketball league in North America.

The Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers have each played in at least one Conference Finals (Denver has played in four, Atlanta and Sacramento in two), but they have each failed to win their respective conference title.

Portland Trail Blazers

American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon.

Sidney Wicks, who played in four NBA All-Star Games while with the Trail Blazers, won the 1971–72 NBA Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 24.5 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game.

In his first season as the Trail Blazers head coach, Jack Ramsay led the team to their first playoff berth and eventually the championship. Bill Walton was the NBA Finals MVP.

Clyde Drexler played in Portland from 1983 to 1995.

After being drafted by the Trail Blazers several years prior, Arvydas Sabonis made his NBA debut during the 1995–96 season.

Brandon Roy was chosen as the NBA Rookie of the Year after the 2006–07 season.

LaMarcus Aldridge played the first nine years of his pro career in Portland.

Damian Lillard is a six-time NBA All-Star (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) and was the unanimous choice for the NBA Rookie of the Year following the 2012–13 season.

CJ McCollum, drafted 10th overall in 2013, formed a formidable back-court duo with Lillard.

Microsoft co-founder and Vulcan Inc. chairman Paul Allen owned the Trail Blazers from 1988 until his death in 2018.

The team's headquarters and practice facility are in Tualatin, Oregon.

Along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Buffalo Braves (now Los Angeles Clippers), the Trail Blazers entered the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team, under coach Rolland Todd.

Bill Walton

American television sportscaster and former professional basketball player.

1973 UCLA yearbook, Southern Campus. 1973 UCLA basketball NCAA champions, Walton in back middle.

Walton and Portland coach Jack Ramsay holding the NBA championship trophy in 1977

Michael Cooper watches as Walton grabs a rebound during the 1987 NBA Finals

Walton overcame his stuttering and became a broadcaster.

Walton guarding the Pistons' Curtis Rowe in 1976. Rowe played at UCLA as well, graduating in 1971.

Walton sat out the 1978–79 season and was then signed by the San Diego Clippers (now Los Angeles Clippers), for whom he played four injury-plagued seasons.

Bob McAdoo

American former professional basketball player and coach.

McAdoo (11) playing for the Buffalo Braves

Buffalo acted anyway, and McAdoo was selected with the No. 2 overall pick by the Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers), after rumors that contract talks between the Portland Trail Blazers and McAdoo didn't come to fruition with the first pick.

All Cities in the US and Canada with at least one team in the MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL or NHL, 2021

Expansion team

New team in a sports league, usually from a city that has not hosted a team in that league before, formed with the intention of satisfying the demand for a local team from a population in a new area.

1970: Cleveland Cavaliers; Buffalo Braves (later San Diego Clippers, now Los Angeles Clippers); Portland Trail Blazers