The days of Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Shaquille O'Neal, Tracey McGrady, and Vince Carter are long gone. Although the legends may have retired, the present day has brought in a new generation of high flyers and it seems like some of the best touch down in the Staples Center.
The tandem of 23-year-old superstar forward Blake Griffin (6-foot-10) and 24-year-old DeAndre Jordan (6'11") make for a terrifying frontcourt for the Los Angeles Clippers. Since the mega-trade that involved bringing Chris Paul to the "City of Angels" transpired several years ago, the franchise has began to move in the right direction slowly but surely.
To fans in southern California, that might be a new cause for excitement but for the rest of the Western Conference it means that their very strong part of the league has started to become even more fortuitous.
For a team that has historically been sub-par, the Clippers are edging closer towards their second consecutive playoff appearance at the end of the regular season. But aside from the heroics of the franchise as of late, the more interesting aspect of the club has been the improved play of the forwards.
For pair of such young players, Griffin and Jordan have made a lasting impact that will span the entire length of their respective careers. Due to the freakish athletics of the two the team has been renamed by many Clipper advocates as "Lob City." Between smashes from Griffin and slams from Jordan, the sky-high acrobatics of the Clippers have made them favorites to many basketball enthusiasts.
The most recent highlight from the Staples Center crew came at home on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons. Pistons' guard Brandon Knight defended Jordan on an alley-oop attempt and paid the price. Knight who is almost a foot shorter than Jordan crashed to the ground following the dunk.
Basketball will never be back at the point it was during the late 80s and the 90s but the athleticism of the players in the National Basketball Association is making a strong bid to come close. The twin tower tandem of Griffin and Jordan have many years before they part ways with each other and in that time they will continue to shock and awe basketball fans across the nation.
Even though the Clippers have arguably the strongest bench in the league and the potential Sixth Man of the Year in Jamal Crawford, fans are coming for one thing: an awe-inspiring roller coaster of events from the best athletes in the game.
It may be six and a half hours between Oklahoma City and Houston, (both players hometowns) but it only takes mere seconds to connect an electrifying dunk on the hands of Griffin and Jordan. The time may have passed when fans are used to seeing the old Jordan highlights, but it surely has become the era of the new Jordan highlights.
DeAndre Jordan, that is.