Instead, LA Times columnist Simers, while quick to call Clippers C Jordan, “funny, easygoing and as friendly an athlete as Los Angeles has to offer,” feels very comfortable calling the 24-year-old, “a waste of space.” With LA trailing San Antonio, 3-0 in the Western Conference semi-finals, Simers’ peers are quick to hail Gregg Popovich and the revitalized Tim Duncan. T.J., however, asks of Jordan, “how about playing like someone worried they might take his money away?”
“I disagree I’m not developing; I’m physical,” Jordan says. “Do you want me to flagrant-two somebody?”
How about just grabbing the ball when it’s loose, or maybe making contact while going for a rebound rather than just trying to leap over someone?
“So that means I’m not physical?” Jordan says. “I disagree with you.”
How about some offensive moves around the basket? To date, Jordan has made two baskets in his NBA career outside the free-throw lane.
“I don’t get those shots in a game, so I can’t prove to anyone I’ve developed that,” he says.
Much of his time is spent stewing over why he’s not in the game. But sometimes when he gets in, it’s as if he’s not there. He went one whole playoff game without getting a rebound. He went another not scoring a basket because he never attempted a shot.
“It’s a rhythm thing; if you play well, you play,” he says, and excuses, excuses. “Me coming out of the game, I don’t control that.”
But he does, of course. He played the entire first quarter in Game 1 against San Antonio because he dominated, and not surprisingly the Clippers and Spurs finished tied.