SportsHubLA

As somebody lacking formal Clipper Nation membership- and if anybody’s looking to join a club that makes AA meetings seem chipper by comparison, here you go- I don’t claim to know the in’s and out’s of Elginist culture. But I don’t think it’s going out on a limb to speculate that Clipper die-hards spend a fair amount of time focusing on linings woven from pure silver. This M.O. feels mandatory to maintain Clipper hope (as well as any sanity), unless you’re simply in it for the masochism and self loathing. The “Kurt Cobain” approach to basketball, if you will.

But for fans like “Clipper Daryl” (left) who seem to be in it for an experience along the lines of actual pleasure, it makes perfect sense to zero in on cling-worthy elements. Whether Elton Brand’s MVP-worthy season in ‘06, the back-to-back playoff appearances (and first round exits) in ‘92 and ‘93 or simply the unbridled hilarity that was Keith Closs’ career, a “rainbow” must be sought.

When it comes to ‘07-’08 (already shaking out to become the latest in a cavalcade of uneventful years), ROY G. BIV is a less hirsute, more productive Chris Kaman, who’s enjoying an All-Star caliber season that couldn’t come a minute sooner for those cheering Staples’ “other team.” Aside from the obvious upside that comes with averaging a double-double and nearly three blocks each night, Kaman is reassuring fans that last year’s 5-year/53 mil extension wasn’t a payroll anchor, but possibly among the wisest investments Donald Sterling has made that didn’t involve an apartment complex.

Forgive those who didn’t anticipate this day coming, as Kaman is fresh off an unhealthy, sub-par 2006-2007 that was easily a career-worst. It was also the first of five campaigns that didn’t feature steady improvement, the first that didn’t see him adding to a resume featuring 10-15 ft. range, strong rebounding, quick feet and a startling ability to finish with either hand. This hiccup prompted some to wonder if- at best- Kaman had plateaued or- at worst- he was regressing, which made news of Brand’s offseason ruptured Achilles even more dire. If Kaman couldn’t come through, the Clips would basically be reduced to small forward Corey Maggette’s relentless rack attack for anything remotely resembling steady interior scoring. But the former Caveman has not only answered the bell, he’s done it Iron Man style, the lone member of this injury-riddled squad to appear in every game this season.

The numbers may be eye-popping, but don’t dismiss them as purely the result of increased touches. Kaman’s earning his opportunities. “Believe me, we wouldn’t be going to him this much if he wasn’t coming through,” insists Coach Mike Dunleavy. “Just because you have a big guy down there doesn’t mean you have to go to him. He’s been very deserving. But this isn’t a fluke. Two years ago, he put up some huge numbers. 20/20 games. You don’t put up 20/20 games in this league by accident.” And while Kaman acknowledges that Brand’s absence has created more opportunities, he’s also very quick to stress the overriding factor for his recent success.

“I’ve prepared myself a lot for this year.”

That prep work included a dramatic change in his approach to basketball, and on a couple of levels. The first tactic required an already small ego to be put even further in check. Your typical NBA baller looking to regain swagger doesn’t do a stint in the Summer Pro League, offseason competition mostly reserved for young players who’ve gotten little PT (assuming they’ve even been in the league at all). It ain’t a haven for vets, much less vets extended to contracts paying eight figures a year. But that’s where Kaman found himself, displaying a unique humility for a player of his stature, labeling the experience little more than “a stepping stone for me and to get myself ready for the season.”

The biggest adjustment, however, came in Kaman’s mental approach to basketball, a shift sparked in part by a few May days in Cabo on his boat with Assistant Coach Kim Hughes. Kaman hadn’t intended the trip to evolve into a hoops pow wow, but “unbeknownst to him, we spent 10 hours a day talking about basketball,” smiled Hughes. “I think it’s one way to trick him, having him do things that he enjoys. He doesn’t think that it’s work.”

It is work, however, for Kaman to maintain an increased concentration throughout a game, a task made difficult due to his struggle with Attention Deficit Disorder. The condition is no secret, nor is any notion that Kaman often lacked focus, which often led to being a couple steps behind his opponents as sequences developed. “See (the play) kind of before it happens,” described Kaman of his goals. “This time, I try to be early.” That hyper-awareness is already paying big dividends. For all the talk about Kaman’s increased scoring, Hughes says the biggest impact the center now makes is as a help defender, an area of weakness in the past. His desire to get back on track is also facilitated by a steady diet of post-game film. “He gets on the plane, he watches every play again,” marvels Dunleavy. “He studies it and goes over it. He’s one of the best pros I’ve ever been around as far as trying to learn and get better.”

To clarify, the plane in question is owned by the Clippers, not Kaman. It’s worth mentioning, since so much has been made of Kaman’s extension, which happened to kick off a season gone sour. The media went to town on this development, frequently questioning if Kaman was grossly overpaid. Kaman and his coaching staff are quick to note that the seven-footer actually played last season at his rookie scale, with the big dollars actually kicking in this year, but the explanation often smacked of splitting hairs.

In any event, the deal was still labeled a money pit in the making, a notion that didn’t sit well with the center. Kaman was initially able to put money issues in the back of his mind after inking the deal, but after struggling and hearing critics cry “theft,” he couldn’t help but doubt himself. “Now I’m wondering if I’m overpaid or not. Say what you want to say, but you can’t get that out of your mind, even if you want to. If people keep talking about it, it’s going to make you think about it.” This created a situation where nobility was more curse than virtue. “The problem with him is that he’s probably one of the few guys (in the league) with a conscious,” admires Dunleavy. “If he’s not playing well, it eats at him a little bit more than it eats most guys. He’s one of those guys that puts more pressure on himself, but ultimately, I knew he could get through it.”

The contract issue might be water under the bridge now, but the quest to remain focused will be a battle for the rest of Kaman’s career. He acknowledges with a shrug that some fans may not realize how Herculean this task is for him, but also knows that any lack of sympathy is irrelevant, since the results still have to come. Besides, once the fourth quarter ends, his ADD isn’t terribly bothersome. “I don’t really so many problems in my daily life, because for me, I don’t really have anything to concentrate on besides basketball. It’s not like I have a regular job where I gotta sit and read stories or articles or concentrate on something else. My job is basketball and when basketball’s over, I get to relax my mind.”

No worries, indeed.

AK

Andrew Kamenetzky hosts Lakers Blog and Blue Notes: A Dodgers Blog for LATimes.com. In addition to his work with the Times, he is a contributing writer for ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com and EXPN.com, and co-authored Fishing on the Edge, the autobiography of B.A.S.S. fishing bad boy Mike Iaconelli. He is also a regular contributor to “The Steve Mason Show” on ESPN Radio (710 AM, 1-4 pm PST).

Discuss: