10 Los Angeles Clippers

Fear not, fans of those head-banging brothers of mirth named Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles. Though three time zones will separate them, Q and D plan to continue double-tapping fists to foreheads to punctuate a good play, a ritual the genesis of which they refuse to reveal. "He'll represent on the East," says the Clippers' Richardson of his good bud who was traded in July to the Cavaliers, "and I'll represent on the West."

The 6'6" Richardson is as good a barometer as any of the Clippers, who could go way up or way down this season. Unpredictable but extremely talented, Head-banger West has issues, not to mention an injury, in his case a sprained right knee, which he twisted during training camp. He remains unhappy that Miles (with whom he talks almost daily) was unloaded, even though the prize was Andre Miller, the NBA's assists leader last season. And though Richardson, 22, acknowledges he was effective as a high-scoring sixth man last season on this nine- or 10-deep team, he wants to be a starter even after small forward Lamar Odom returns from a sprained right ankle next month.

But Q, what if coach Alvin Gentry still wants you to come off the bench?

"I'll be all right with whatever happens," he says, "but I want to start."

Such utterances are commonplace in the warped world of Clipperland. Center Michael Olowokandi made great strides in 2001-02—"He was as good a player as there was in the league over the last two months," says Gentry—but he is a disenchanted lame duck, having failed to get a multiyear deal. "All I heard was that this team was going to keep its key people together, build something positive," says the Kandi Man. "That's not what happened with me." As for Odom, no one is sure what to expect, which is nothing new. He shed his crutches last week, and his rehabilitation has been quietly questioned by the Clippers' brass.

Still, there is much positive feeling about the steady Miller. Referring to Miller's predecessor, Jeff McInnis, Q says, "Now our point guard won't lead us in field goal attempts again." And Richardson, despite his desire to start, pledges to do "everything in my power" to make the Clippers into winners, and notes how much he enjoyed jamming with season-ticket holders during an affair at Knott's Berry Farm.

If that type of 'tude prevails, perhaps the Clippers' head-banging will be done exclusively by Richardson. If not, the beleaguered Gentry will join him.

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