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The outspoken owner of the L.A. Clippers, Steve Ballmer, has no doubt in his mind of who is the best show in basketball in the City of Angels.
The 61-year-old multibillionaire is unequivocally convinced that his team has put the best product forward throughout recent memory, as well as achieved more postseason success, despite not getting past the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
“So look. I'll say two things. No. 1, we've been kicking the Lakers' a** the last several years,” Ballmer told Business Insider. “Let's just face it. We don't have the championships that the Lakers do. We don't have any of that. But in the world of sports it's, ‘What did you do this season?' And all we can control is how we do this season, next game, next game, and I'm proud of what we're doing.
“Ok, yeah, we didn't have a championship 15 years ago but we're doing well.”
While Ballmer's words prove true not only in his three years as an owner, but during the past five years — the broader historic spectrum always brings the Los Angeles Lakers as the more prominent, storied franchise, being second all-time in league-wide championships.
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The often-energized fan-owner assured that he wasn't just content with what his team has achieved, but rather looks to get the biggest prize of them all, the very elusive Larry O'Brien trophy.
“But our ultimate goal isn't to beat one other team. It's to beat 29 other teams,” Ballmer told Business Insider. “If you tell me you were the top team in LA, but the 28th team in the league, I say to heck with that.
“So in a sense, the best way to beat the Lakers is also to be the No. 1 team in the world and that's what we're aspiring to do.”
The Clippers will have major moves to make this offseason, primarily choosing to keep or get something in return for their most-prized free agents in Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and J.J. Redick.
