Things never seem to change for the Clippers.

Fortunes appeared to be changing for one of the NBA's more downtrodden organizations when it drew the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and used it to select Oklahoma All-American Blake Griffin. The Clippers finally seemed to hit a home run.

Then disaster struck.

In their final exhibition game, Griffin went up for a thunderous dunk, but came down hard and wound up with a fractured left knee cap that will leave him sidelined for at least six weeks, if not longer.

So if they are to improve on last year's 19-win disaster that featured numerable injuries to key players, they'll have to tread water until Griffin returns.

Based on the preseason, they made the right choice taking Griffin.

The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in the preseason, but those numbers should shoot up dramatically in the regular season once he returns to health. Until then, some of the luster is taken off the regular season, which begins Tuesday against the defending NBA champion Lakers at Staples Center.

How much the Clippers will be improved remains to be seen, but on paper, at least, they appear a lot better when everybody's healthy and could contest for a playoff berth in a best-case scenario.

The question for coach Mike Dunleavy’s club is whether the newcomers can blend with the veterans.

Here’s a look at the team.

BACKCOURT
All-star Baron Davis, who arrived after signing a free agent contract, is the leader of this team. The 10-year veteran out of UCLA averaged only 14.9 points per game in his first year with the club, a dropoff from the 21.8 he averaged in his final season with the Golden State Warriors.

A question for him, can he stay healthy for a full season? Injuries have plagued Davis for much of his careere.

Eric Gordon, the second-year pro out of Indiana,  gives the Clippers a deadly presence from the outside. He averaged 16.1 points per game a year ago and 14.3 in the preseason.

Mardy Collins and point guard Sebastian Telfair gives them added backcourt depth. Telfair, with Minnesota last year, is a solid ballhandler and passer.

Rasual Butler, acquired from New Orleans in the offseason, and Ricky Davis can play front or backcourt. Butler provides scoring off the bench.

FRONTCOURT
Griffin will eventually join a frontcourt that includes center Chris Kaman and forward Al Thornton.

Injuries have plagued the career of Kaman, a six-year veteran out of Central Michigan. The 7-footer enters the season with career marks of 10.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

Thornton averaged 16.8 points per game last season.

Marcus Camby and DeAndre Jordan are the backup centers. Camby’s value is as a defender and shot blocker.

One of the league’s best three-point shooters is reserve forward Steve Novak, a 6-10 third-year pro out of Marquette.

Another important reserve at forward is Craig Smith, a former Fairfax High School standout who played his college ball at Boston College. He gives the Clippers a tough rebounder off the bench.