Lakers vs Clippers - 5 storylines to look out for

The LA Lakers will play host to the LA Clippers tomorrow. The match will be shown live on Sony SIX at 9 AM on 15 February. Here are five storylines to muse on for this contest -

Watching the Lakers go up against the Clippers seems like the plot for an old fashioned comedy skit. Neither team is really the away team. Both play in the same arena, Staples Center and the only difference the teams can point to when calling it their home court, is the crowd; different people have different tickets depending on whether it’s the Lakers who’re playing at home or the Clippers, and the difference in court markings. Being the away team in the Los Angles derby doesn’t make the away team fatigued because of playing on the road. They just have to accommodate themselves in the other locker room down the hall.

It’s Chris Paul vs Steve Nash. About six years ago, the latter was indisputably the superior player. Having won back to back MVP awards, Steve Nash was the best point guard in the game. With the turning of the hands of time, the tables have also turned on those two and now Chris Paul eats Steve Nash’s lunch every time. Looking at how Steve is struggling to fit with the Lakers shows us what might have been if Chris Paul’s trade to the Lakers had not been vetoed by the commissioner.

Mike D’Antoni is running a system and the players are finding it hard to fit in. “It’s hard at first, just trying to get a rhythm for it,” Nash said. “I’m trying to embrace it. Just do what I can to help the team in different ways. I feel like I’m getting better at it and helping the team. I’d like to obviously have a bigger impact on games. I feel like I can, but at the same time, we’ve got to massage all the pieces. To be too authoritative in that can be really disruptive. I’m just trying to help how I can, embrace and be effective in an adjusted role and try to enjoy it.”

Steve is taking the fewest shots per game this year since way back in the 1999 season. His 7.4 assists per game is the lowest since 2003. In contrast, Vinny Del Negro is keeping it simple and is running something more elegant, Chris Paul. The Clippers’ coach was asked what system he is running, and he answered with two words, Chris Paul. “All those names and all that stuff (referring to the different styles of offense). You just put the ball in the best player’s hands.” It’s no secret that Chris Paul runs his own brand of offense, which involves taking what the defense gives him. One wonders what might have been, and still may be if Steve Nash is allowed to do the same.

It would have been something to watch a healthy Dwight Howard go up, up, up against this Clippers frontcourt. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan make up the most explosive frontcourt in basketball. And if there’s a center in the league who can go up against them on defense, it’s Dwight Howard. But a healthy Dwight is needed for that. Right now, Howard’s back and shoulder are bothering him. And his attitude of caring more about his long term health at the expense of the Lakers’ current situation doesn’t speak well of him. Even a Howard at less than 100% is still a formidable force and it will be fun watching him battle Blake and DeAndre.

“Once every 17 years, I guess he’s allowed that.” - said Mike D’Antoni of Kobe’s woeful performance vs the Suns.

Kobe Bryant just had one of the worst games of his career vs the Suns. He shot 1 of 8 from the field for 4 points and had 8 turnovers. The 9 assists did redeem him a bit and the Lakers were able to pull away with a win in that one. But you can bet that Kobe will be smarting and looking to unleash the mamba tomorrow. When you call a shooter out on bad shooting, you point at the field goals made over field goals attempted. When you call out a playmaker, you point at the assists to turnover ratio. Kobe had one fewer turnover than his assists vs the Suns. He was trying to force the issue with his passing. With the all star game around the corner, Kobe will be looking to make a statement. If he wins the MVP in the all star game, he will be the only NBA player to have won the all star MVP award five times. Bryant will be looking to build momentum for that starting tomorrow.

The Clippers are 6-4 over their last 10 games. The absence of Chris Paul hurt them bad and they lost quite a few winnable games. Watching them play against the Rockets today made it clear that they are smarting and looking to re-establish their dominance over the league. This is a team which went on a 17 game win streak this season. They are now 3rd in the West with a 38-17 record, 4.5 games behind the first placed Spurs. The Lakers are also eager to make up for the abysmal start they made to the season. Since Kobe turned the corner and began getting his teammates involved this year, they have started to play better and are eager to make a run at the 8th playoff spot at worst. For the Lakers, anything short of a Finals appearance is seen as a failure, and they may not even make the post-season this year if they can’t make up for lost time.