Clippers embracing championship expectations and Doc Rivers

Blake Griffin loves that the Clippers have championship expectations this season.

“We embrace it,� Griffin said Monday at Clippers media day. “We have higher expectations for ourselves than anybody else.... We don’t have any championships. That’s the goal, that’s the bottom line. We haven’t really accomplished anything yet.�

Last season the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round. This time, Griffin said the team is making some big changes.

“In transition defense, we can do a much better job,� Griffin said. “And also defending the three, we can do a much better job.�

Chris Paul said that each player has individually sat down with new Coach Doc Rivers to discuss their role.

“In the first meeting I had with Doc, he pretty much told me I wasn’t anything,� Paul said. “He told me I hadn’t done anything in this league, and he was right. You don’t always want someobdy who’s going to tell you everything you want to hear.�

Paul said that it will be important for the team to build good chemistry.

“For us, it’s going to be all about the process,� Paul said. “We can’t control what people say or the hype, or the expecations, or the good things people say or the bad things that people say. For us, it sounds pretty cliche, but it’s about the guys in our locker room.�

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