Lakers showcase same exact problems in yet another Clippers loss

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently in freefall after getting run off the floor by the Utah Jazz (twice!) and the Cleveland Cavaliers. This could also apply to the recent series with the Los Angeles Clippers, as the Clips have dominated the series to the tune of winning 33 of the last 41 matchups against the Lake Show.

To say the Lakers needed this game against the Clippers is an understatement after falling to a 2-8 record and sitting next to last in the Western Conference.

Thank God for John Salley, who has superseded all of the false trade rumors, bad news reporting, and reckless scenarios with the conspiracy theory to end all conspiracy theories. The Los Angeles Lakers will not allow LeBron James to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time scoring leader. Then he used Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game to double down on his theory.

Now there’s a reason to sit through these games. Thank you so much!

The Los Angeles Lakers lose again to the Los Angeles Clippers 114-101 in the battle of Los Angeles. Save the championship talks and history lessons, the Clippers are good now and the Lakers are looking at the lottery again.

The good from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:

Well, LeBron James came out the gate on fire!

After sitting out the last game with a sore foot, LeBron was aggressive and looked for his offense early! That would be wise when you drop your first six shots from the field. James had 16 points before his first Nike “Father Time” commercial, which included a couple of shots from the land of the extra point. But then he really cooled off and got injured. More on that later!

Man, this team can put together some serious runs in the second quarter!

If there’s anything this Lakers team can do, it’s make some serious pushes before halftime to make things interesting. An 18-2 run kept the game from getting out of hand as the Lake Show pulled to within two points, 54-52.

Lake Show Life actually found something to fill this column…

Nine straight losses to this team and they’ll lose again until the Clippers bring up their G-League team and even then it would go to double overtime.

The bad from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:

Well, that vaunted Lakers defense that was one of the best in the NBA is gone! 

Remember when the Los Angeles Lakers’ defense was like…good? Well, the defensive rating is dropping faster than their won-loss record. After watching the Utah Jazz surgically dismantle the defense couple of nights ago, the Clippers tallied up 38 points in the first quarter. The message is clear…this team can’t guard a glass of milk if they had the National Guard behind them. Let’s look at the Clippers guards, shall we?

• Paul George: 15 points (6-9 shooting!)
• Luke Kennard 8 points (3-4 shooting!)
• John Wall: 6 points (2-3 shooting!)
• Reggie Jackson 4 points (2-3 shooting!)

Oh, the Lakers scored only 21 points. (Checking notes…) That’s not good! Especially with the extra help with these ridiculous turnovers they had early…

My goodness, the Los Angeles Lakers can’t put together a third quarter consistently!

Let’s sum it up like this…

• The Los Angeles Clippers started the quarter on a 7-0 run…
• The Los Angeles Lakers battle back to take the lead. Ty Lue takes out Reggie Jackson and puts in John Wall…
• The Los Angeles Clippers finish the third quarter on a 16-4 run. 
• All told the Lakers were outscored 33-23. This ain’t it folks! 

LeBron James injured his left leg soreness (Also read: groin!)…again.

He had 30 points (Four 3-point shots!), 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. If this is like the 2019 injury…

"In Adam Silver voice…”With the first pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers pick Victor Wembanyama!However, the New Orleans Pelicans obtain the right due to the Anthony Davis trade!”"

But the Lakers have that championship right? Hold on to those memories because that’s all this franchise has at this moment.

The story from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:

If this website can figure out the issues with this squad… what’s the Lakers’ problem?

For the last two seasons, the Lake Show Life staff has quoted time and time again that if LeBron scores 30 points or more, book it as a loss. The rest of the NBA does not care. Why? That means no one else is doing anything. Let’s break down the guards that just can’t shoot the round leather sphere called a basketball…

• Kendrick “How much de he score? Absolutely” Nunn: Zero, zip, zilch, nada, squat, no mas’, null and void.
• Patrick Beverley: At least he scored. He finished with 7 points on 2-8 shooting. 
• Austin Reaves: 8 points on 3-10 shooting.
• The previous two players played 35 minutes to get this? Norman Powell outscored both for the Clippers.
• Two players did not shoot in the game…
• Three players shot once… 

Russell Westbrook was atrocious at the start going 1-8, but kept playing and hit five of his last seven shots. This means, he actually doesn’t have anxiety attacks after a few misses, Same with Troy Brown Jr.

If Anthony Davis is not aggressive, this team has no chance of winning basketball games. LeBron got hot and AD watched the show. Paul George matched LeBron’s production while his friends scored as well. Davis didn’t wait to disappear late, he was in and out the whole game.

He finished with 21 points and 9 rebounds. Ivica Zubac hit all of his four shots and wore AD down physically in the second half. Outside or pick and roll lobs, can AD score any other way?