The Clippers first home preseason game is tonight against the Nuggets, so let’s get chatty and answer some of your questions.

Question: How much of a difference is having a healthy Blake Griffin going to be for the 2010-2011 season? – Brennan William Price

DJ: I think some people are sleeping on just how dominant Blake Griffin has looked in preseason. The man is averaging right around 17 rebounds a game per 36 minutes of play! That’s absurd! He’ll add the polish to his offensive game as the year goes on, but Griffin is already looking like one of the elite rebounders in the league and a pretty good help defender to boot. For a team that was one of the worst defensive units in basketball last year, his help on that end and cleaning the glass should make a huge difference.

Q: Is it true Chris Kaman is working on a 3-point shot? – Eddy Saar

DJ: Last year Kaman extended his range out to 18-feet or so, but that’s right about the limit for him. Kaman told me in training camp that he’s more focused on improving the already existing facets of his game rather than adding new wrinkles, so the answer to your question is no. However it certainly would be awesome to hear the “Bingo!” Ralph Lawler would let loose after a Chris Kaman 3-pointer, am I right? For coach Del Negro’s sake, let’s not encourage it any further.

Q: Is DeAndre Jordan capable of becoming a 2nd string center, and a starter if Griffin or Kaman ever go down? – Jackson Kwong

DJ: DeAndre Jordan is plenty capable of being a backup center to Kaman. If you look at the backup centers around the league, or even some of the starters, how many guys can impact a game the way he can? When DeAndre plays with confidence, he’s a force to be reckoned with. All he needs to do is create havoc in his opportunities. Block shots. Alter shots. Rebound. Dunk everything in sight. If he can play with a consistent confidence and energy level, DeAndre can fill in off the bench and also be a serviceable spot starter.

Q: The next free agency class looks pretty good. Are there any players you are eyeing despite free agency being about 8 months away? – Eddy Saar

DJ: Fasten your seatbelts everyone, we’re entering the Carmelo Anthony portion of the mailbag. I think there’s a good chance Melo guts it out and finishes out his contract in Denver this year. When he’s making his visits and he sees a core of Davis, Gordon, Griffin and Kaman, the bright lights of Los Angeles, and the opportunity to put himself back in the stratosphere his draft classmates are in, I think he’ll take a real long hard look at the Clippers.

Q: What do you think about Marqus Blakely's chances of seeing regular playing time for the Clippers -- other than the development league. I am from Vermont and I've watched MB develop over his college career. – Michael E. Gates

DJ: Blakely has a tough path to playing time simply because there are a lot of bodies on the depth chart in front of him at the 3 and 4. I’ll tell you one thing though – everyone in the organization is pretty fond of the guy, and for good reason. He works hard to get better, he plays hard, and he brings a set of intangibles that will serve him well throughout his career. His path to playing time will be paved by providing great defense, but that usually doesn’t happen right away for rookies. It might not be this year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Blakely eventually becomes a contributor to the rotation.

Q: Will Eric Gordon break out this year? – Jay Casteel

DJ: It depends on how you define breakout, but I’m going with a resounding yes here. Let’s dig into this. In his first two years in the league, Gordon’s usage rate (the percentage of offensive possessions used by a player during his time on the floor) was smack dab in the middle of the league among other shooting guards. What does this mean? It means that one of the elite outside shooters and raw scorers in the league was taking way less shots than he should have been. There are signs that those days of Gordon being passive are coming to an end. In Turkey, Gordon showed he wasn’t afraid to shoot when he was on the court, even though he was playing alongside some of the best the NBA had to offer. If he wasn’t afraid to take shots from Kevin Durant, he won’t be afraid to take them from his teammates. Gordon has always been an efficient player, so with more scoring opportunities and a new offensive weapon defenses will be forced to respect in Griffin, his points per game average should see a considerable boost. The praise from Coach K this offseason was legit – Gordon is the real deal and he’s ready to break out.

Thanks for your questions everyone – make sure to check back Thursday for another edition. Enjoy the game everyone!

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