Clippers endure a season of more discontent than usual

Where did it all go wrong?

Of course, a qualifier is needed when it concerns the Clippers and their unique brand of bad luck, misfortune and self-inflicted damage rolled into one unsightly package.

Where did it all go wrong this time?

From prized rookie Eric Gordon's injury on opening day of the Clippers' training camp, to their new $65-million point guard, Baron Davis, reporting out of shape and, most recently, with rookie Mike Taylor starting the second half instead of Davis in Wednesday's game against the Knicks, it's almost been a season of reverse momentum.

That doesn't include a long litany of injuries, the suspension of Ricky Davis for violating the league's drug policy, and the stream of bizarre off-court machinations, framing the heavily criticized and embattled Clippers General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy and his quickly cooling relationship with Baron Davis.

Meanwhile, the Clippers, winners of 18 games, will miss the playoffs for the fifth time in Dunleavy's six seasons as coach.

So it's difficult to know where to start. Would it be with the clumsy preseason parting with a revered figure, longtime Clippers' executive and Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor? Or how about Baylor's racially charged lawsuit in February against Clippers owner Donald Sterling, alleging that Sterling embraced a "vision of a Southern plantation-type structure" for his NBA franchise?

Headline-grabbing moments. But Sterling found ways to create new ones, charging into the Clippers' locker room after the March 2 loss to the Spurs and airing out the team, in particular forward Al Thornton, because the symbol of the team's malaise, Baron Davis, was not in clear eyeshot.

One of the newer Clippers wasn't even sure about the identity of the interloper, obviously not recognizing Sterling, and wondered whether he should call security.

Thornton, who squirms in the spotlight under the best of circumstances, was so bothered by the attack that later that night he privately met with Sterling, and Dunleavy, for about 15 minutes, to defend himself away from his teammates.

Center Chris Kaman, who missed 48 consecutive games because of a foot injury, openly wondered how it was possible for anyone to remain a Clippers fan. And Thornton said he felt as though the season was almost doomed from the start.

"This whole thing is completely blown out of proportion," said Clippers President Andy Roeser. "Mike's our GM, and Mike's our coach. Our basketball staff is working well together and we're not looking to make any changes."