Preview and predictions for Lakers vs. Clippers on Friday, Jan. 29
The Los Angeles Lakers will be on the road on Friday night as they make the long journey to the visitors’ locker room of STAPLES Center to take on the Los Angeles Clippers. The Lakers will certainly be hoping that they have a puncher’s chance against a Clippers team without a now infamous puncher at power forward.
Clippers star Blake Griffin is out for at least the next month after an incident in Toronto that led to him breaking his hand due to the fact that he punched his friend and a member of the Clippers equipment staff. This, of course, came right as Griffin was set to return from a quad injury that he suffered around Christmas when the Lakers and Clippers also faced off.
However, the Clippers have still be rolling since the holiday without their All-Star caliber forward while the Lakers have, well, not rolling about as well as a cube on a flat surface. With the NBA Trade Deadline approaching, there’s seemingly more uncertainty and unrest in the Lakers organization than even earlier this season.
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Rumors—albeit dubious ones—surfaced on Thursday that D’Angelo Russell might be on the trade block, joining the likes of Roy Hibbert, Nick Young, Lou Williams, and Brandon Bass. For a rebuilding team that’s seemingly so in flux, having rumors about your struggling No. 2 pick and then to have him not starting isn’t a great look.
However, Russell might be forced to start on Friday as Kobe Bryant will be out and Williams—who was out with an upper respiratory infection on Thursday—may be sidelined again as well.
The young Lakers may get their time to shine, but it likely won’t matter a great deal. Even without Blake, the Clippers are one of the best teams in the Western Conference and Chris Paul and J.J. Redick can ably attack the Lakers’ biggest weakness on the perimeter. All in all, the Lakers always have a puncher’s chance, but they’ll have to land a hell of a haymaker on Friday to pick up a win.
Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers
Date: Friday, Jan. 29
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. PT
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Arena: STAPLES Center
TV Info: NBA TV
Live Stream: NBA League Pass (stream only available after game)
Radio: Here
Betting Odds
Point Spread: Clippers -15.5
Moneyline: Clippers -3000, Lakers +1400
O/U: 204
Injury Report
Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant (shoulder)—Out, Lou Williams (illness)—Questionable
Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin (broken hand from punching an equipment manager, quad)—Out
Next: The Whole D'Angelo Russell Trade Rumor Rundown
Prediction
Though the Clippers will be without Blake Griffin again, they have more than survived without him thanks to the production of their backcourt in Chris Paul and J.J. Redick. With how the Lakers defend opposing guards, that doesn’t bode particularly well for them on Friday night and should result in an emphatic victory for the “home” team in the Clippers
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