Lakers vs Clippers Preview: Kobe Battles for LA Again
The Lakers and Clippers will do battle for the last time in Kobe Bryan’s career
The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers have a storied rivalry, though it’s always been one-sided. The team on the favorable end of the rivalry may have shifted in the past few years as the Clippers have become a power in the Western Conference. However, they’ll meet only twice more in the Kobe Bryant era on Tuesday night inside STAPLES Center to battle for LA bragging rights.
If you want to talk about being in completely different times for each team in this rivalry, this would be the prime example.
On one hand, you have the Clippers who just got Blake Griffin back from injury and suspension and are now looking to pull it all together for a deep playoff run. On the other, you have a lottery-bound Lakers team whose young core is at the center of controversy and has been led by a 37-year-old in his 20th NBA season lately.
More from Lake Show Life
- Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
- Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
- Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
- Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
- Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated
Even with all of the drama that the Lakers are entrenched in right now, though, there are still glimmers of hope for this team down the stretch. By hook or by crook, Byron Scott is going to give the players like the embattled D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, and Jordan Clarkson the chance to play big minutes down the stretch of the regular season. On Tuesday, the team announced that Lou Williams and Brandon Bass will be out for the remainder of the season, so that means plenty of minutes for the youngsters.
What can you really say about the Lakers at this point, though? The Clippers are the far superior team, the pieces for the Lakers that are worth keeping for the future are obvious, the players who aren’t going to be around are also obvious, and Kobe Bryant only has six games left in the NBA. That’s the way things are and the Lakers should just be looking to salvage whatever they can from this matchup on Tuesday night and throughout the conclusion to the year.
Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers
Date: Tuesday, April 5
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. PT
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Arena: STAPLES Center
TV Info: TWC Sportsnet
Live Stream: NBA League Pass
Radio: Here
Betting Odds
Point Spread: Clippers -14
Moneyline: Clippers -3000, Lakers +1200
O/U: 208.5
Injury Report
Los Angeles Lakers: Anthony Brown (foot)—Out, Kobe Bryant (shoulder)—Questionable, Larry Nance Jr. (knee)—Probable, Lou Williams—Out, Brandon Bass—Out
Los Angeles Clippers: Paul Pierce (ankle/knee)—Out
Next: Kobe Opens Up Regarding Vetoed Chris Paul Trade
Prediction
As if this wasn’t already obvious, things are abysmal for the Lakers right now while things are improving for the Clippers now that Blake has returned. Fans can hope that the likes of Russell, Clarkson, and Randle move past all the off-court drama and put up a fight, but that’s not the most likely outcome on Tuesday night.