All LA Showdown – Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers
Wednesday, January 6th – 10:35 PM ET
NBA Basketball Point Spread: Lakers -5.5

The Week That Was: Lakers

The Kobe Bryant show rolled on for the top team in the Western Conference. Another week brought another amazing display of on-court heroics that only added to the legend of an all-time-great player.

Earlier in the season, Bryant hit a twisting, turning 3-point field goal at the buzzer to lead the Lakers over a disbelieving Dwyane Wade and the rest of the Miami Heat. This past Friday, Kobe crushed the soul of another NBA opponent. The lethal late-game sharpshooter nailed another triple at the final horn to give the Lake Show a thrilling 109-108 win over the Sacramento Kings. The shot by Bryant capped a 20-point comeback from the Lakers and sent the hometown crowd at Staples Center into a frenzy.

Buoyed by the momentum they gained from that escape job against Sacramento, the Lakers played more liberated ball on Sunday, Jan. 3. Coach Phil Jackson’s club dismantled the Dallas Mavericks – the second-best team in the West – by a 131-96 score. Then, on Tuesday, Jan. 5, a Laker team playing without center Pau Gasol (hamstring) was able to dig deep on defense and shut down the Houston Rockets in an 88-79 triumph.

The Week That Was: Clippers

After starting the season 4-9, the “other team” in Los Angeles has quietly won 11 of its last 20 ballgames to move upward in the Western Conference standings. Yes, the Clippers are still a few games back in the playoff chase, but they’re very much in contention as the month of January continues. Moreover, weeks like the one the Clippers just had will enable them to remain competitive for the entirety of their 82-game schedule.

Coach Mike Dunleavy’s team began its winning week on Dec. 31, with a comfortable 104-88 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in a game Dunleavy missed due to a backache. Center Chris Kaman – who is averaging just over 20 points per game – threw down 26 against the Sixers while grabbing 10 rebounds. The Clippers used a 29-14 third quarter to gain scoreboard leverage against one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference.

On Monday, Jan. 4, L.A. registered a far more significant success story by knocking off the Portland Trail Blazers, 105-95. Portland has been ravaged by injuries throughout the year, but the Blazers have continued to win, so the Clips’ 10-point pasting of Nate McMillan’s squad represented a considerable achievement.

Outlook & Pick

Yes, the Lakers are playing without Pau Gasol (at least in all likelihood), and yes, this is the second game of a back-to-back set for the Lakers. However, this game is being played between two L.A. franchises, in a building the Lakers and Clippers share. Naturally, then, the Lakers won’t be traveling at all for this road game. The effects of a back-to-back should be very minimal for Kobe Bryant and friends… at least when compared to normal commutes across the country. The Lakers should win.

Pick: Lakers -5.5