Ralph Lawler now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Leave it to Doc Rivers to get in a fun dig at longtime Clippers voice Ralph Lawler, who Thursday received the 2,575th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Rivers, head coach and president of basketball operations, said he was impressed with a lot of things about Lawler, who has been calling Clippers games on radio and/or television for 37 years. Rivers called him “a great broadcaster, he’s a great husband and he’s a great man.”

And more.

“He really cares about the team,” said Rivers, who preceded Lawler on the dais at 1708 Vine St. near Taps Sports Bar. “I did TV for a little while and after the games, I just wanted know what restaurant we were going to. I (couldn’t) care less about who won or lost. When Ralph gets on the plane after a loss, you can see it on his face, like a coach.

“When he gets on the plane after a win – I know, Ralph, that you sneak on the beverages in the back, don’t worry, we’ll allow it just for you – and the fact that he cares, means a lot to us. He represents what the Clippers are all about.”

Lawler, whose phrases “Bingo” and “Oh me oh my” are staples of his broadcasting vernacular, was over the moon. He spoke about what the star means to him.

“Let me start with the fact that this is not just an affirmation of my career,” said Lawler, 78. “It’s an acknowledgement of the acceptance that the Clippers have gotten in the community. This would have been impossible 10 or even five years ago.

“But all of a sudden, since Steve Ballmer brought the basketball team, they bring Doc in as president of basketball operations, Gillian (Zucker) as president of business operations, everything has changed. I can’t tell you how different it is and now the city can finally, without any fear of any problems, embrace our basketball team. And that’s a really a happy time for me.”

Lawler then got a combination of laughs and cheers out of the crowd.

“People say it’s long overdue, I’m not sure it’s even due,” he said. “People say, ‘You deserve it.’ I’m not sure I deserve it, but I’ll sure take it folks. This is a thrill.”

Lawler’s wife, their three children and six of their seven grandchildren were on hand. As were current Clippers point guard Chris Paul and several former Clippers.

Here’s a short video from the event:

VIDEO: Watch Clippers owner Steve Ballmer dunk off trampoline

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer at halftime of Monday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets unveiled the team’s new mascot – Chuck the Condor. Then Ballmer promised the 19,060 in attendance at Staples Center that all would get a free pair of Chuck Taylor sneakers if he could dunk off a trampoline. Ballmer did, and fans received a voucher for the high-top shoes. Check out Ballmer:

Home sweet home is not always the case for the L.A. Clippers

FILE - In this March 2, 2010,  file photo, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer speaks in Santa Clara, Calif. Ballmer is officially the new owner of the Los Ang...

Steve Ballmer/Associated Press file photo by Paul Sakuma

 

Unless the Clippers were to find a way to get out of their lease at Staples Center, they will be tenants there through June 2024.

That’s not the best scenario for the Clippers, who are basically the third team in that building behind the L.A. Kings and Lakers, even though all three teams began playing in the building when it opened in 1999.

Take this past weekend. The Clippers had to play back-to-back day games against Charlotte and New Orleans on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The Kings had the night game Saturday, the Lakers on Sunday.

If the Clippers had their own building, that Sunday game would never have been scheduled for during the day.

Coach Doc Rivers was asked before Sunday’s game if the scenario wants to make him talk to owner Steve Ballmer about the team getting its own building once the lease expires. Rivers balked at first.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” he said. Then he did.

“No, I don’t know,” he said. “I mean, obviously, every team would rather have their own building, but it’s not awful. But you would love to play the evening game tonight; I don’t mind back-to-back.

“But the smart thing would have been 12:30, 7:30. That would have been smart for us, but didn’t work out that way. I’m sure Steve thinks of things like that all the time.”

Unfortunately for the Clippers, they signed a 10-year extension on their Staples Center lease in January 2013, before Ballmer purchased the Clippers in May 2014.

The Clippers, Lakers and Kings work with Staples Center owner AEG, the NBA and the NHL for scheduling times and dates. The Clippers got the short end of the stick this past weekend.

Mark Cuban says he has ‘no problem slamming Doc Rivers’

 

Mark Cuban/Associated Press photo by Carolyn Kaster

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was holding court with reporters in the Mavericks’ locker room before Wednesday night’s game between his team and the Clippers at American Airlines Center, won 118-108 by the Mavericks.

Cuban was likely surrounded by more reporters than usual because it was the first time the Clippers would play in Dallas since DeAndre Jordan reneged on a verbal agreement to sign with Dallas over the summer, instead re-signing with the Clippers.

Reporters had just spoken with Clippers coach Doc Rivers ahead of speaking with Cuban, who was told that Rivers believes too much is being made of something that happened months ago.

Cuban shot back in hard-hitting fashion.

“I have no problem slamming Doc Rivers, even though he’s not going to play,” Cuban said. “I like (Clippers owner) Steve Ballmer. Lots of guys on the team, I like. But look, Doc does his radio interviews and brings it up for a reason., right? Again, Doc’s in the coaching business, he’s gotta do his job. God, there is so much I want to say.

“But we’re still in the entertainment business. And I would be a lot more upset if there was no promotion and no discussion about it and it wasn’t a TV game. Because then we’d be calling the NBA and every television partner idiots. Wouldn’t you? Yeah, everybody would. Because we’re an entertainment business and this is part of the entertainment. And unless you realize that, you’re going to get whatever unmentionables you wear in a wad. Or, if you’re commando, whatever.”

 

VIDEO: You will love Steve Ballmer-Mark Cuban kiss cam bit

There is no love lost between the Clippers and Dallas Mavericks, courtesy of DeAndre Jordan reneging on his agreement during the summer to sign with the Mavericks, to re-sign with the Clippers. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been doing a lot of talking about it, none of it positive. But in a light moment during Thursday’s 104-88 Clippers victory over Dallas at Staples Center, Cuban and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer were involved in a split-screen kiss cam moment that brought roars from the sellout crowd of more than 19,000. Check it out: