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Not many fans of professional sports teams are known around the world for strictly being a fan. The LA Clippers have one in Clipper Darrell, a season ticket holder since the 2000-01 season. He can be seen at home games in the team colors.
While Darrell tried to enter Crypto.com arena to attend a home game against the Boston Celtics, he was punched by a security guard working at the facility. Words appeared to be exchanged between the two men, and as Darrell tried to get by the security guard, he was punched.
Per TMZ, the guard was immediately fired and arrested.
Darrell is such a superfan that he knows the owner of the team, Steve Ballmer. Darrell was nominated by ESPN for its fan Hall of Fame in 2013.
The Clippers are maintaining
The LA Clippers (16-13) are in sixth place in the Western Conference standings, only three games behind the first-place New Orleans Pelicans (18-9). This is despite all of the injuries the roster has had to deal with this season.
Kawhi Leonard has not been available for most of the season. He has only appeared in nine games and started seven of them. Leonard was supposed to be their best player when they signed him three years ago. He had his best performance of the season in their most recent game against the Celtics, putting up 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists in Monday's 113-93 win.
Their No. 2 star, Paul George, has also missed time, playing 21 of the team’s 29 games. George has been the team’s most steady superstar over the past few seasons. George has been the team’s leading scorer, averaging 23.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. If he and Kawhi can get more time together, the team will be in good shape to move up in the West.
Coach Tyrone Lue has the team playing well despite who may or may not be in the line-up. The team has seven players averaging in double figures in scoring. The team also has the league's fourth-best scoring defense. If this team can show up to the playoffs healthy, the sky is the limit.
After going 47-25 and reaching the Western Conference finals in 2020-21, the Clippers failed to make the playoffs last season, going 42-40. George missed most of last season, playing 31 games, and Leonard (ACL) missed all of last season.
