The stakes have not often been this excessive when the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers meet, with Wednesday night time’s matchup between the groups a legit showdown because the common season nears an in depth.
Known as a rivalry in proximity solely, particularly from the Lakers’ facet, Wednesday’s sport is poised to be remembered no matter who wins.
Both groups enter 41-38 with three regular-season video games remaining, though the Clippers technically are in sixth place within the Western Conference, which might give them a assured spot within the first spherical of the playoffs.
The Lakers are in seventh place as the highest seed within the play-in event.
The Clippers, who’re the designated residence crew on Wednesday, have already got received the season collection, going 3-0. Over the previous three seasons, the Clippers haven’t dropped a sport to the Lakers, going 10-0 in that stretch.
The Lakers pressured their means into similar total information with the Clippers this season on the again of a wild 135-133 extra time highway victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. They clinched a spot within the play-in event.
But it means Lakers veterans LeBron James and Anthony Davis can have little relaxation heading into Wednesday’s massive sport, in the event that they play in any respect.
“We’ll figure it all out,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham mentioned, not committing to James, Davis or D’Angelo Russell taking part in Wednesday. “This time of the year, everybody has something a little going on with their bodies.”
James had 37 factors in 38 minutes, together with the game-winning rating with 27 seconds remaining Tuesday. Davis had 21 factors and 14 rebounds in 42 minutes.
“I haven’t played in a back-to-back in a long time,” Davis mentioned. “We’ll all get a phone call tomorrow (about playing status) and go from there.”
While the Lakers are using a four-game profitable streak and an 11-4 report since March 5, the Clippers have been in flux since Paul George departed with a knee damage on March 21. The crew has gone 3-3 since whereas clinging to a top-six playoff spot.
The Clippers are on a two-game skid after a 122-114 highway loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. That sport got here a day after a 108-94 defeat at Memphis.
Kawhi Leonard scored 40 factors with eight rebounds towards the Pelicans, whereas Russell Westbrook had 10 assists.
Westbrook had a rocky experience coming off the bench with the Lakers earlier this season, however his earlier erratic play has been much more measured since he joined the Clippers on Feb. 24. Wednesday can be Westbrook’s first sport towards the Lakers because the midseason divorce.
“It’s an important game for us collectively, it’s probably going to be an important game for them as well, so it’s just going to be a big game overall making sure we’re ready to go,” Westbrook mentioned, in response to the Los Angeles Times. “My job is to make sure us in the locker room are locked in and ready to compete.”
At focus can be whether or not Westbrook tries to make a press release in the course of the sport.
The Clippers struggled to suit Westbrook into the rotation after he was acquired, dropping his first 4 video games. But the previous MVP has settled in now with a median of 15.2 factors and seven.8 assists along with his new crew, serving to the squad to an 8-5 report since then.
