Clippers News

Sports — By Bernard Samms on January 2, 2012 at 9:20 am

• Plus: Chris Paul Foundation Hosts PBA Celebrity Bowling Invitational

• Clippers Add Solomon Jones To Roster

• Vote Clippers Into The All-Star Game

• Chat Live During Every Clippers Game At Clippers.com

• Clippers This Week:

Sunday, Jan. 1

Clippers

Wednesday, Jan. 4 vs. Houston Rockets

WHERE: STAPLES Center

TIME: 7:30 p.m. PT

T.V: Prime Ticket

RADIO: 980 AM/1330 AM (Spanish)

Saturday, Jan. 7 vs. Milwaukee Bucks

WHERE: STAPLES Center

TIME: 7:30 p.m. PT

T.V: Prime Ticket

RADIO: 980 AM

• CLAMORING OVER THE CLIPPERS

NBA fans nationwide are excited about the new-look Clippers. The Clippers home opening broadcast on NBA TV against the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 30 ranked as the most viewed regular season game ever on NBA TV, and the second most viewed game in NBA TV history, trailing only the Grizzlies vs. Spurs Playoff Game on April 27, 2011.

The Clippers continue to be highly visible and breaking records after their season-opening win over Golden State on Dec. 25 earned a 2.2 rating, making it ESPN’s highest-rated Christmas prime-time game ever.

The Clippers first preseason game vs. the Lakers on Dec. 19 was also the most-watched preseason game in NBA TV history. The debut of Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler teaming with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in the starting lineup drew 509,000 viewers according to the network.

The previous record of 501,000 viewers came in another celebrated debut, when the Miami Heat beat Detroit on Oct. 10, 2010, in their first game with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

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• CHRIS PAUL FOUNDATION HOSTS PBA CELEBRITY BOWLING EVENT

Clippers guard Chris Paul and the Chris Paul Foundation will host a PBA Celebrity Invitational on Thursday, Jan. 12 at Lucky Strike at L.A. Live! In downtown Los Angeles.

Paul and friends will bowl to help raise awareness for the CP3 Foundation. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and tickets are available by calling (213) 542-4886 or e-mailing Jennifer.itagaki@bowlluckystrike.com

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• CLIPPERS ADD SOLOMON JONES

Solomon Jones was short of breath.

It could have been because of the whirlwind 36 hours that had him trying out amongst a crew of big men on Monday, Jan. 2 and signing with the Clippers immediately after and then showing up for his first practice Tuesday, Jan. 3. Or it could have been the extensive solo workout he team’s newest backup big man went through with assistant coach Dean Demopoulos after practice to get him up to speed.

Maybe it was the realization that he had to hurry to get back into playing shape, since coach Vinny Del Negro suggested he could be in the playing rotation as soon as Jan. 4 when the Clippers face the Houston Rockets.

“I’ve been conditioning on my own,” Jones said. “Got to get back in game shape though, but I haven’t been able to get 5-on-5 since the lockout ended.”

To read the rest of this article, click here: http://www.nba.com/clippers/features/jones-in-the-middle-menezes-120103.html

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• VOTE CLIPPERS INTO THE ALL-STAR GAME

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Sprint tipped off 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting on Jan. 4 and unveiled ballots for the Western Conference that feature four members of the Los Angeles Clippers – Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups and DeAndre Jordan.

Griffin is seeking his second straight All-Star appearance after becoming the first rookie since Yao Ming in 2003 to play in the All-Star Game last season. The 2010-11 T-Mobile Rookie of the Year, Griffin is averaging 26.0 points per game this season. Clippers guard Chris Paul is a four-time All-Star and has played in the last four All-Star games (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011). In his first season with the Clippers, guard Chauncey Billups is looking to make his sixth All-Star appearance after playing in the game in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan is listed on the All-Star ballot for the first time in his 4-year NBA career. Jordan currently leads the NBA in blocks.

The 61st NBA All-Star Game, which will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at the Amway Center on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.

To vote for your favorite Clippers in the All-Star Game, click here:

http://www.nba.com/allstar/2012/asb/eng/landing.jsp?referrer=asb12_lac&cid=asb12_lac

 

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• CHAT LIVE DURING EVERY GAME AT CLIPPERS.COM

Watch The Clippers Games and talk about it live on Clippers.com with LACtv’s Madelyn Burke, Clippers.com insider Eric Patten and other special guest hosts.