The Clippers take on the Lakers in a game that doesn’t seem nearly as thrilling as it did before the season started. Keep reading for a full preview of the Clippers’ showdown game against the Lakers.
Game Information
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
When: 7:00 PM PT
How to Watch: Bally Sports SoCal
Projected Starting Lineups
Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Eric Bledsoe – Paul George – Marcus Morris – Ivicac Zubac
Lakers: Russell Westbrook – Avery Bradley – LeBron James – Anthony Davis – DeAndre Jordan
Injuries
Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Out (Knee), Nic Batum Out (COVID), Jason Preston Out (Foot)
Lakers: Kendrick Nunn Out (Knee), Trevor Ariza Out (Ankle), Anthony Davis Questionable (Thumb)
The Big Picture
The Clippers are 3-7 in their last 10 games, dropping them down to a .500 record and tied for 8th place in the Western Conference. While it’s true that the team has been beset by injuries and bad fortune, and that the absences of Kawhi Leonard and Nic Batum make truly great Clippers’ basketball an unlikely outcome, the effort, process, and execution of the team over the past couple weeks have still been disheartening. Simply put, the team looks lost, especially on offense, but even on defense now at times. Serge Ibaka and Marcus Morris look spry-ish at times, but neither is plying well. Paul George is tired, and his turnovers are mounting. Luke Kennard is back to hesitating on offense, and Terance Mann is not making optimal decisions. Overall, it’s a thoroughly dispiriting picture. Still, the season is young, and hopefully the return of Batum and less rust from Ibaka and Morris can keep the Clippers afloat.
The Antagonist
The Lakers have had their own difficulties this year. Really, in a big picture sense, they’ve probably been worse than the Clippers, with a mediocre offense and a poor defense. The fit with Russell Westbrook has not been ideal, and their old veterans who came to ring chase are, well, old veterans who are past their prime. Their lack of defense is worrying, as is the dearth of shooting around LeBron and Anthony Davis. However, in the short term, things are looking up – LeBron is returning from COVID, Westbrook is getting better as the season goes along, and Davis is clinging to health. Even though they look like they won’t meet expectations, they’re going to be better than they have been if LeBron can say mostly healthy.
Notes
Changing the Starting Lineup: It’s past time for Ty Lue to adjust the starting lineup. It’s been underwhelming all season, and only seems to be getting worse, not better. The team constantly plays from behind in the first quarter, and the effort required to dig themselves out of holes is probably one of the reasons they’re already getting fatigued. Neither Luke Kennard nor Terance Mann have played well of late, but both have outperformed Eric Bledsoe on the season – and there’s nothing to lose with a swap at this point, not with the bench also playing badly in recent weeks. Allowing Bledsoe to handle the ball more with the bench plays to his strengths, and getting more shooting or energy in the starting lineup can only help. Nic returning will be a huge help, but other changes need to happen at this point. 22 games is enough.
Boston Time: Brandon Boston has received a tad more playing time in the past week or so with Batum out and Marcus Morris and Paul George resting at times, and has impressed on the offensive end. His defense at the NBA level is awful, but he can shoot, he can create his own shot, and he has enough aggressiveness for an entire unit. Look, he’s probably a negative NBA player at this point, but the Clippers’ offense has been so bad that Lue should maybe give him an extended shot at some point. It can’t be any worse than watching Ibaka or Morris brick threes.
That about does it for this preview of the Clippers’ game against the Lakers. Leave your comments below!
