Still, the Clippers struggled, going 28-54 in a typically injury-wracked year in 2003-04, Dunleavy's first season. Though last season they improved to 37-45 — a spectacular record for the Clippers — Sterling kept his wallet open, and Baylor did the same with his eyes.

Baylor in the offseason shipped young but erratic point guard Marko Jaric to Minnesota for old but steady point guard Sam Cassell, hoping to have him share the position with young hotshot Shawn Livingston. And while Sterling wouldn't sign NBA Most Improved Player award winner Bobby Simmons when his contract was up, Sterling did replace him with another free agent, Mobley, a strong 6-foot-4 off-guard who can score and defend. Mobley signed a five-year, $42 million deal.

It turns out with Livingston not having played this season because of back problems, the Clippers have been Cassell's to control. To give his new teammates an idea of who was alpha dog, Cassell in his first regular-season Clippers game went on an offensive rampage, with what are still his season highs of 14 field goals in 26 attempts for 35 points, as well as 11 assists.

But it's not as if any of the Clippers are having career years — for the most part, the starting five's statistics this year are around their individual career averages. It's just that for what seems to be the first time, Clippers players are complementing each other, rather than competing to see who can hog the ball the most.

Take Kaman and Brand. Brand was a 20-and-10 guy long before Kaman developed into the 6-and-6 player he is today. But the rapidly improving center, drafted sixth in 2003, is becoming the Jeff Foster to Brand's Jermaine O'Neal. Kaman provides 25 minutes a night of hustle, rebounding, shot-blocking and defense on the opposition's biggest man, freeing up Brand for better opportunities against power forwards less able to handle his quick (for a big man) moves and his 6-foot-8, 254-pound frame. This year, Brand has been a 24-and-10 guy, with a career-high 58 percent field-goal percentage.

If there's a reason to think the Clippers will come crashing back to Clipperland, it's the team's depth. The Clippers' bench isn't completely horrible, but it's a long drop from Elton Brand to Chris Wilcox, the eighth overall pick in 2002, who has found himself in Dunleavy's doghouse for his frequent defensive lapses. While players such as rookie guard Daniel Ewing and journeyman center Zeljko Rebraca have acquitted themselves decently in spot duty, they're not ready to handle significant minutes anytime soon.

Having Livingston available would give the Clippers a great three-guard rotation. Coaches have hailed the 6-foot-7, 20-year-old Livingston as a holy alliance of Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, but he can't stay healthy. He played only 30 games last year, his rookie season, and it's not clear when he's coming back this year.

But why rain on the Clippers' success? For once in their sorry life, the team appears to be doing things, to borrow words often attributed to their former coach Brown, the right way. If this keeps up, celebrities will start packing Clippers games, and their longtime fans will stop adopting the runts and start picking the meanest dogs in the litter.

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