NEW FACES, NEW PLACESThe following games are the first home or away games the Clippers will get versus some of the top players who changed teams in the offseason, and one they haven’t seen more than two years:
Oct. 31 at Lakers: Carlos Boozer
Nov. 15 vs. Phoenix: Isaiah Thomas
Nov. 17 vs. Chicago: Derrick Rose (last played versus Clippers in December 2011) and Pau Gasol
Nov. 23 at Memphis: Vince Carter
Nov. 24 at Charlotte: Lance Stephenson
Dec. 12 at Washington: Paul Pierce
Jan. 10 vs. Dallas: Chandler Parsons
Jan. 16 vs. Cleveland: LeBron James
NEW FACES, OLD PLACESThree Clippers will face their former teams for the first time in 2014-15, including Glen Davis who was signed on Feb. 24 after the Clippers had played Orlando twice in the regular season.
Jordan Farmar, Oct. 31 at Lakers
Glen Davis, Nov. 19 at Orlando
Spencer Hawes, Jan. 16 at Cleveland
FEELING DRAFTY The following games are the first opportunities home or away the Clippers will have against some of the top draft choices of 2014.
Nov. 3 vs. Utah: Dante Exum (No. 5)
Nov. 19 at Orlando: Aaron Gordon (No. 4)
Dec. 13 at Milwaukee: Jabari Parker (No. 2)
Jan. 3 vs. Philadelphia: Nerlens Noel (No. 6, 2013)
Jan. 19 vs. Boston: Marcus Smart (No. 6)
MEMORIES BACK THENThe following games are first-time matchups against players on last season’s roster.
Nov. 2 vs. Sacramento: Three games into the season, point guard Darren Collison, whose 12 points in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals spurred an epic comeback, returns home to Los Angeles and Staples Center for the first time since departing north to the state capital.
Nov. 19 at Orlando: The Magic swooped up Willie Green when the Clippers placed him on waivers in June. The first time Green, who was best known for his professionalism and ability to step in when called upon at any moment, will face his former team is the opener of the Clippers’ 11-day road trip in November.
Nov. 20 at Miami: Danny Granger only appeared in a dozen regular season games and for the first time in five years, the matchup in South Beach does not include Granger’s former nemesis, LeBron James. However, the second night of a back-to-back in the midst of a seven-game road trip will be the first time the Clippers see the veteran small forward since he departed this summer.
HOMECOMING KINGS Jordan Farmar (Woodland Hills) and Jared Dudley (San Diego) are Southern California natives and C.J. Wilcox’s family moved to San Diego County two years ago. So, at least three Clippers will be playing 43 regular-season games close to home. However, the rest of the roster will have to wait until they are back in their hometowns or regions. Here is a look at when a few other members of the roster go back to the places they call home:
Matt Barnes (Fair Oaks, CA): Sacramento on Jan. 17 and Mar. 18
Reggie Bullock (Kinston, NC): Charlotte on Nov. 24
Jamal Crawford and Spencer Hawes (Seattle, WA): Portland on Jan. 14 and Apr. 1
Glen Davis (Baton Rouge, LA): New Orleans on Jan. 30
Blake Griffin (Edmond, OK): Oklahoma City on Feb. 8 and Mar. 11
DeAndre Jordan (Bellaire, TX): Houston on Nov. 28 and Feb. 25
Chris Paul (Winston-Salem, NC): Charlotte on Nov. 24
J.J. Redick (Roanoke, VA): Washington on Dec. 12