Chris Kaman's No Good Very Bad Day

4-18 from the field (22%). 8 points. It was not a good evening for Chris Kaman. 

Marcus Camby and Fabulous Fabricio Oberto didn't exactly have his number, either. He had all the open looks a 7-footer loves. Deep post position led to poorly challenged hook shots. 1 foot layups. Open shots from 15-feet out. They didn't fall, people. The Clippers need those to fall if they want to win games.

I don't know why Chris Kaman has these games. He has them, from time to time, though. Maybe the whole day is off, rather than just the basketball-night. Perhaps he wakes up to find that his home has water damage in the basement. Maybe his toaster malfunctions and burns his bread. Traffic slowed him on the way to the game. Shoot-around didn't go that well. He was feeling a bit under the weather. The ball didn't drop, that's the point.

The problem is that Chris Kaman is only useful when he can make up for all that only-okay defense and weak-side shot blocking. Or for his middle-of-the-pack rebounding rate. Or for the years and years he spent with that dreadful haircut. 

The Clippers, outside of some really cool (and nearly non-existent in the days of Dunleavy) transition action and Blake Griffin's glorious smangin' dunks, need offensive help. Eric Gordon is not a go-to scorer in this league. He's a really good second option (what up, 5 turnovers?). Randy Foye is not going to turn most open looks into points. Baron Davis is going to do whatever it is that Baron Davis thinks is a good thing to do on a basketball court. Chris Kaman has to be effective and healthy. DeAndre Jordan and Jarron Collins are his back-ups. 'Nuff said on their end.

But it's okay. Everything will be fine, Clippers fans. As long as you get a lot more 18.5 and 9.3 per game, rather than 12 and 8. Or more injuries. Or he brings that haircut back.