LOS ANGELES _ Suppose you are Kevin Durant or Kawhi Leonard and you are considering your options this summer as free agents. You are weighing the options of a pair of teams in the biggest markets, the Knicks and Clippers. And suppose they turned on the television to check the meeting between the two Sunday afternoon.
While both teams have traded away star players and cleared the camp space for two max contracts this summer, there is a far different mood in place between the two teams. It isn't just that one city was covered with snow Sunday while the other endured a slightly overcast sky. And it isn't even the effervescent owner, Steve Ballmer, cheering from the front row.
While both teams may have an eye on next season, only one threw in the towel on this season and definitely this game. The Knicks, as they lost their 50th of the season, marking the fifth straight season with that dubious honor, were humiliated as the Clippers led by as many as 38 points in a 128-107 win at Staples Center.
While the Clippers dealt away Tobias Harris at the deadline last month they have not given in. Starting a pair of rookies they have still managed to win seven of their last 11 games, moving into seventh place in the Western Conference playoff race.
Landry Shamat, one of those rookies, led the Clippers with 21 points and Danilo Gallinari had 20.
"Overall, it's been very few games that I've been mad at their effort," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "They play hard. They play together. They know that's the only way we can play. I think that's the key to this team. They kind of bought into that before the year started. They understand that, that's part of who we have to be to win. We don't have the luxury to not play that way and win. We're just not that good. but we are good when we play that way."
The Knicks are hopeful that they can sell free agents on a team with a young core and the addition of a top pick in the upcoming draft. But in games like this one it's hard to sell a future based on youth. Last summer's lottery pick, Kevin Knox, was just 1-for-6 shooting _ making him a combined 7-for-34 over the last three games. Noah Vonleh led the Knicks with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Damyean Dotson also had 17 points. Three other Knicks had 16 points, including Mitchell Robinson who added 13 rebounds.
Rivers was asked if he was surprised the Knicks traded away their own All-Star, Kristaps Porzingis.
"Listen, I don't know," he said. "I think they know what they're doing. Who knows why? But I got a feeling they do know what they're doing. Porzingis said he didn't want to be there. I get that. Like if you want to be with your team, if you don't, listen, I thought Steve (Mills) and the group, Scott (Perry), they handled it very well."
The future may prove him right on that count. But it was hard to tell on this afternoon.
It began with Gallinari scoring nine quick points and then Shamet took over, draining 6 of 7 3-point field goals in the first quarter. And as the names changed the result was a constant barrage with the Clippers taking an 82-46 halftime lead _ just two points short of the most the Knicks have ever surrendered in a first half.
The Knicks had hoped to get DeAndre Jordan back for this game after he practiced Saturday. But the longtime Clippers star sat out his fourth straight game with a sprained left ankle. His only action came when famed L.A. fan Clipper Darrell shouted across the court to Jordan, who was in a suit on the bench, "You'll always be a Clipper," and he patted his heart in response.
He might have preferred that on this day.
"For us, we believe every team can beat us," Rivers said. "That's the way we focus. We don't look at it the other way. We tell them every night, every team can beat you. We're not good enough to beat any team and we're good enough to beat every team. We say that every day. We haven't fallen into that trap for the most part because I think we understand that if we don't play the way we have to play we're not winning. Doesn't matter who we play. And if we play the right way we have a chance to beat anyone."
