Let Clippers bashing begin!

The Clippers’ season ended long before their lackluster performance against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

It ended when the Clippers blamed Elton Brand’s early-season slump on his Team USA participation. It ended when the Clippers kept saying after every losing streak, “We’ll be all right, the season’s still early.” It ended when Mike Dunleavy felt the Clippers would be a better team if Corey Maggette came off the bench. It ended when Chris Kaman decided to emulate Benoit Benjamin.

Can’t wait to hear the excuses the Clippers will use next year.

WILLIAM NAKAMURA

Whittier

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When the Clippers hired Mike Dunleavy, I wrote to complain. When they extended his contract, I wrote to complain. So, here we go again.

As long as Dunleavy is the coach, the Clippers will never get past the second round of the playoffs. Two years ago he coerced Elgin Baylor to invest a high draft pick in Yaroslav Korolev -- only to have him nailed to the bench for two years. This year he feuded with Corey Maggette and tried to get rid of him.

Dunleavy’s teams have always underachieved; see Bucks, Trail Blazers and now the Clippers. In three years Elton Brand will be old, the Clippers will be back in the lottery and Dunleavy will be blaming Maggette or some other player.

WILLIS BARTON

Los Angeles

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Is it just me or are Tim Thomas and Chris Kaman the two most overpaid, underachieving, slow, soft stiffs in the league?

JACK VON BULOW

Temple City

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In this crazy, topsy-turvy world, it seems that things are changing every day, and things will never be the same. But with the Clippers coming back to earth, and falling way short of this season’s lofty expectations, the world makes sense again.

JACK WOLF

Westwood

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The universe is self-correcting. After a couple of seasons, Smush Parker is no longer the starting Lakers point guard and the Clippers are back out of the playoffs. No connection? Well, to really make things perfect in the universe, Smush Parker, the ultimate non-Laker, needs to become the Clippers’ starting point guard next year.

CHRIS SAMSELL

Burbank

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It has mystified Lakers fans since the Phil Jackson era began, but I’ve finally figured out what the “triangle” offense is. It’s a Zen metaphor, and a three-part formula for success:

* Part 1 is Kobe dribbling, juking, slicing, leaping and scoring thrilling baskets against five defenders.

* Part 2 is Kobe’s teammates, doing their best to stay out of his way.

* Part 3 is the Laker Girls, who do their best to take the sting out of losing.

ANTHONY MORETTI

Lomita

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OK, I have seen enough of Andrew Bynum. Yeah, yeah, yeah ... the kid’s only 19 years old. But I want to officially go on record to say that Andrew Bynum is a stiff and will always be a stiff. The Lakers have a chance to rid themselves of this stiff while other general managers are blurred by his “potential.”

And by the way, for those who don’t have a dictionary, “potential” actually means he stinks right now. And while you’re at it, do everything you can to dump Bynum and Odom and somehow get Kevin Garnett in Purple and Gold.

GENO APICELLA

Burbank

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Although the popular choice is Kevin Garnett, what the Lakers really need is a player or two who’ll play defense. And then there’s Andrew Bynum, the hope of the franchise, who won’t be the next Shaquille O’Neal, might be the next Jermaine O’Neal and could be the next Tip O’Neill.

KEVIN HOLTEN

Manhattan Beach

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It just warms my heart that Phil Jackson and Mitch Kupchak both “want to see Andrew age ... and grow old in L.A.” That’s just great. But to continue to waste the talent and peak years of the best player in the NBA, Kobe Bryant, is a complete travesty.

Hopefully, if and when their little experiment comes to fruition, Kobe won’t need a cane or wheelchair on his way to the retirement village.

RICK SOLOMON

Lake Balboa