The Clippers are the NBA’s most disliked team.
It really isn’t close.
Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Doc Rivers have created a culture of whining, flopping, playing dirty – and winning. All factor into the Clippers’ reputation in varying measures, and bits of trash-talking and showboating – though hardly as distinguishing as the other traits – also contribute.
There are good and bad reasons to loathe the team, and people use them all.
The Clippers don’t plan on changing.
Paul, via Howard Beck of Bleacher Report:
This is one quote in a very interesting and nuanced article on the Clippers’ style. I highly recommend reading it in its entirety.
Paul is competitive, and his approach would be well and good if not for one complication:
He’s president of the players association.
Paul should care more about what his peers think of him. They elected him to represent them, and he’ll be less effective if they can’t stand him. With less than a year until either side can opt out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the National Basketball Players Association needs to unify – ideally behind Paul.