December 30, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) calms down Los Angeles Clippers small forward Matt Barnes (22) after he was called for a foul in the second half of the game against the Utah Jazz the Staples Center. Clippers won 107-96. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Clippers truly had a December to remember in 2012. Has there ever been a better time to be a Clippers fan? They were not only winning every game that month, but they were winning them big and with style. Magic Johnson was comparing them to his Showtime Los Angeles Lakers. Billy Crystal was doing Sportscenter and color commentary on Clippers primetime games. Blake Griffin was throwing down, Jamal Crawford was jacking it up. Chris Paul was dishing and DeAndre Jordan was destroying.

The Clippers went 16-0 in December for the only undefeated month in franchise history. It all started with a 116-81 win at home against the Sacramento Kings, a game none of the starters played in during the fourth quarter. From there they went on the road to face the Utah Jazz and won a squeaker as Griffin had 30 points to lead the comeback from 14 down late in the third.

The Clippers then mauled the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors all by double digits on a three game home stand. Then it was on the road to face the Eastern Conference teams on a four game trip. First they topped the Chicago Bulls 94-89. Griffin had 22 points and 10 rebounds to make it seven in a row, the longest win streak in two decades. Little did we know there were a lot more to come. The following night it was off to face the Charlotte Bobcats. The Clippers got 19 points from Paul, Griffin and Matt Barnes as they won a grind-it-out game on the second night of a road back-to-back.

Barnes led the Clippers with 21 points in a 11-85 whipping of the Milwaukee Bucks and then they ended the trip with an 88-76 pounding of the Detroit Pistons. The Clippers were winning ugly, pretty, low scoring, high scoring, nail-biters and blow outs. That’s a team on a hot streak.

The Clippers came back home to whip the New Orleans Hornets 93-77 and the Kings again 97-85. They then went on the road again and absolutely crushed the Suns 103-77 in a game Paul had 17 points and 13 assists.  Then came the game on Christmas night, the fifth NBA game of the day on national television and probably the most entertaining. The Clippers and Denver Nuggets were two of the best up-tempo teams in the NBA and they did not disappoint in a 112-100 Clippers win. The Clippers made it 14 in a row with the win, but their post game comments made it sound like they were not satisfied. Chris Paul called the streak “Fool’s Gold.” How right he turned out to be.

However the month was not over as the Clippers beat the Boston Celtics in a blow-out 106-77. The next night they had another close call with the Jazz in Utah winning 116-114 in a game they trailed by 19 points. Then to close out the perfect month, they beat the Jazz for the third time 107-96 for their 17th straight win and a perfect 16-0 December. They would be the third team in NBA history to record a perfect month. Even the Miami Heat did not accomplish the feat despite a 27 game win streak.

The streak was snapped immediately as the calendar flipped to 2013. Although the rest of the season was still a good one, the Clippers clearly played their best basketball in the 2012 portion of the schedule. They went 9-7 in January as Paul was struggling to recover from banging knees in a loss to the Orlando Magic with J. J. Redick in the sixth game of the month. The Clippers went 8-5 in February and 7-7 in March. In April, they closed out the regular season going 7-1 before facing the Memphis Grizzlies in the playoffs. April turned out to be more Fool’s Gold.

But December was a lot of fun to be a Clippers fan. For a month, the Clippers were at the top of the world. Hopefully, next year there will be more months like that one and fewer 7-7 and 9-7 months.

This man will have to be accounted for if the Los Angeles Clippers want to win. Tim Duncan might be considered old, but he’s also considered great. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

When the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers advanced to the semifinals of the 2012 NBA playoffs, I knew the Clippers were over matched.

I didn’t think LA would get swept, but the Spurs were on an impressive run and the Clippers didn’t have what it took to beat their foe. The Clippers’ defense fell apart and couldn’t get good looks against the Spurs’ great defense.

This statement isn’t an excuse, but truth: Chris Paul was banged up, Chauncey Billups and Eric Bledsoe were out with injury. This means they had Mo Williams and half of Paul to face a team that has been elite for 15 seasons. A LA seven-game series victory was never going to happen against these odds.

Unfortunately, I don’t think this season will be much different.

In the regular season, I can see the Clippers taking as many games as they want or the Spurs doing the same thing. If one star player on either squad has a bad night, the opponent has the cogs necessary to win a game.

The Clippers bolstered their lineup with Lamar Odom, Grant Hill, Jamal Crawford, Matt Barnes, Ryan Hollins and Ronny Turiaf.

Blake Griffin is only entering his third NBA season and is already a top 20 player and a double-double machine.

Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups played well together last season, but didn’t get to play side by side for too long because of injuries. Both players are healthy and are ready to prove they can co-exist as one of the smallest backcourts in the league.

Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups were not side-by-side much last season but they hope to change the situation in the 2012-13 NBA season. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Caron Butler, Hill and Barnes give the Clippers the opportunity to come at a team in three different ways with their wing play. Butler can run the floor, Hill is a master mid-range shooter and Barnes can drill the open three-point look made by Paul’s penetration and passing. All three of them are good defenders and will be a tough match-up with anyone in the league.

DeAndre Jordan still has a lot to prove offensively. On defense, he has proven to be a great shot blocker and a solid help defender. If the older Butler or Hill get beat, Jordan will be right there to do some beating of his own — shots.

The only reason I think the Spurs will still beat the Clippers in the playoffs is because of experience and the way Tony Parker was playing at the end of last season.

Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Parker have been in the league 15, 10 and 11 seasons, but they’ve been playing together for so long that they form one of the best cohesive units the league has ever seen. Their No. 1 spot in the Western Conference with a 50-16 record was not a fluke. They could very well do it again this season.

As much as the Spurs were Tim Duncan’s team a few years ago, San Antonio is now Parker’s domain. Parker was one of the best players in the league during the second part of the 2011-12 season, in many aspects of the game of basketball. He averaged 18.3 points per game in the regular season, but upped his production to 21.5 in the playoffs, including three 20-plus games against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.

For the season he averaged 7.7 assists and had a ESPN’s John Hollinger PER of 22.o4. His stats and on-court decision making were spectacular.

As usual, the Spurs find a way to make stars out of players who are not thought highly of before dawning the black and silver. This year’s team includes: DeJuan Blair, who is a great backup for Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, who moves up to the starting small forward role, Daniel Green, and Cory Joseph.

All of these players have shown signs of brilliance and were a main key to the Spurs’ success last season.

Kawhi Leonard is yet another player who might not be known if he wasn’t on the San Antonio Spurs’ roster. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

If Leonard puts up starter’s numbers in starter’s minutes, the Spurs are going to be extremely dangerous. It doesn’t hurt that Green and Blair can come off the bench and add 15 points whenever they want.

Each time these two teams match-up I will expect great basketball and a very interesting ending. I highly doubt there will be a 20-point blowout for either team. However, when it comes down to who would advance in the playoffs, I have to go with the Spurs.

They have a great combo of experience, youth, defense and scoring that the Clippers are trying to create. If LA can tighten up the defense and earn some extra offensive possessions — maybe my mind will change. But I have to see it first.