In 1970, the Los Angeles Clippers was known as the Buffalo Braves. Buffalo Braves were considered one of three expansion franchises to join the NBA that year, as the league dueled with the upstart NBA for fame. After struggling through their first few campaigns, the Buffalo Braves rapidly found playoff success under the coaching of the legendary Dr. Jack Ramsay and high scoring Bob McAdoo. Unluckily, drastic changes in the organization's ownership during the 1976-1977 seasons threw the NBA team into a tailspin, resulting in back-to-back losing seasons.
Following a suggestion by then-NBA attorney David Stern, the Buffalo Braves were permitted to leave Buffalo after the 1977-78 season for San Diego. The deal was a complex one, as Buffalo Braves owner John Y. Brown traded places with Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin. Levin, a California businessman, was not happy in Boston and relished the chance to own a NBA team in his home state. Levin right away renamed the club the Clippers because of San Diego's bustling harbor and seaside locale.
Under Levin, the Los Angeles Clippers posted reputable records, but could not seem to reach the NBA playoffs because of a loaded Western Conference. In the Clippers' first San Diego season, their 43 victories were inspiring, but just shy of playoff caliber. That year, six Western Conference playoff NBA teams tallied at least 45 victories.
After missing the NBA playoffs for the third straight year, Clippers NBA team ownership again changed hands as Beverly Hills attorney and real estate mogul Donald T. Sterling bought the Clippers basketball team in June of 1981. In spite of the play of new additions Tom Chambers and Terry Cummings, the Clippers continued to struggle in San Diego over the next few NBA seasons. Injuries overwhelmed the Clippers and box office numbers plummeted. Finally, with audience averaging more than 4,500 basketball fans per game for the third consecutive season, Sterling moved the Clippers north to Los Angeles in 1984.
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Who says you can't go home again?
Los Angeles' own Baron Davis is back in town—as a member of the Clippers—and his presence might ensure that Elton Brand stays in La-La Land as well.
While the team will lose Corey Maggette, who opted out of the final year of his contract, the Clippers have still made the team significantly better with the addition of the 29-year-old UCLA product, who surprisingly opted out of his contract with the Warriors to defect to the Clippers for what's reportedly a five-year, $65 million contract.
"It's tough, but you have to do what's best," said Davis. "You have to do what's fair. I'm happy with where I'm going. A big reason is because of the impact and the things that I can do going forward.
Is Davis enough to put Clippers in playoffs? (Yahoo! Sports) A comparative analysis shows Baron Davis has the potential to help the Clippers win more than 50 games.
