Where did the Clippers play before the Staples Center?
Emily Ross
Published Jan 10, 2026
Move to Staples Center
What city did the Clippers used to play for?
The franchise was originally based in Buffalo, New York, and was known as the Buffalo Braves upon joining the NBA in 1970 alongside fellow expansion teams Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers.
Where did the Clippers play in the 90s?
From 1994 to 1999, the Clippers played several games annually (usually five to eight regular-season games a season, and an annual preseason game) at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, sharing the venue with the NHL's Ducks and the Splash indoor soccer team.
Did the Clippers start in San Diego?
Leaving San Diego for LA
Seven years after the Rockets blasted off for Houston, the NBA came sailing back into San Diego as the Braves moved from Buffalo changing their name to the Clippers.
When did the Clippers join the NBA?
The Clippers were founded in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves. They were one of three franchises that joined the NBA as an expansion team in the 1970–71 season.
18 related questions foundWhere did the LA Clippers name come from?
Out of all the submissions, the name Clippers was chosen which was a reference to San Diego being home to numerous large sailing ships in the 19th century that were at the time called 'clippers'. The team moved to Los Angeles in 1984 but retained the Clippers name.
Which city deserves an NBA team?
5 cities that need an NBA team ASAP
- NBA Seattle.
- NBA Las Vegas. ...
- NBA Vancouver. ...
- NBA Pittsburgh. ...
- NBA Richmond. It's the capital of Virginia and an exciting young town that's in dire need of a professional sports team, this would also be an ideal market for the NBA to tap into. ...
Why does LA have two NBA teams?
The LA market allows for two teams because there is enough room for two franchises. Seattle had the Super Sonics that then became the Vancouver Grizzlies, who are now the Memphis Grizzlies.
What team did the Braves become?
The day the Boston Celtics became the Buffalo Braves, now known as the Los Angeles Clippers.
What does Laker stand for?
The team moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1947, and its name was changed to the Lakers to reflect the Minnesota state nickname, “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” That same year the Lakers acquired George Mikan, who became professional basketball's first dominant “big man” and the first in a series of great Laker centres.
Where did the Lakers play before LA?
The franchise began with the 1947 purchase of a disbanded team, the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL). The new team began playing in Minneapolis, Minnesota, calling themselves the Minneapolis Lakers.
Did San Diego have an NBA team?
San Diego Rockets
The San Diego State basketball craze dates way back to 1967 when the NBA formed the city's first franchise that went by as The Rockets.
What is the smallest market NBA team?
The smallest NBA market in terms of TV audience is Memphis. New Orleans is a smaller metropolitan area than Memphis, but the Pelicans have a slightly larger TV reach.
What NBA team is the oldest?
Either way, those offseason additions make the Lakers the oldest team entering the league's 75th anniversary season with an average age of 30.0.
What is tea clipper?
Definition of tea clipper
: a clipper built for tea trade (as from China to London)
How fast could clipper ships sail?
Characteristics of a Clipper Ship
A clipper ship offered its captain and crew a sailing speed of over 250 miles in a day, whereas the routine ships travelled at an average speed of 150 miles per day. In earlier times, covering 250 nautical miles in a day was a long journey.
Why did Steve Ballmer buy the Clippers?
The other half of the Clippers is owned by Donald T. Sterling through a family trust. Shelly Sterling sold the entire team to Ballmer after taking control of the trust, citing her husband's alleged mental failings.
When did Steve Ballmer buy the Clippers?
LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer 'building our own presence, identity' with new arena. LA Clippers chairman Steve Ballmer initially was content to play at Staples Center -- in the same building as the Los Angeles Lakers and the NHL's Los Angeles Kings -- when he bought the franchise for $2 billion in 2014.
How much did Ballmer buy the Clippers for?
Steve Ballmer purchased the LA Clippers for $2 billion. According to this report, that would suggest that the Clippers have gone up $0.63 billion in valuation since Ballmer purchased the team.
Why didn't the Lakers change their name?
After considering moves to Chicago and San Francisco, he decided to move the franchise to Los Angeles prior to the 1961 season, making the Lakers the NBA's first West Coast team. The Lakers did not change their name after this second move, despite the general scarcity of natural lakes in southern California.