At this time a week ago the Los Angeles Clippers were on top of the world. The Clippers were riding high winners of three in a row and seven of eight, eyeing a spot as high as number six in the Western Conference pecking order. The Clippers then proceeded to lose three in a row and is now on the outside of the playoff party looking in with five games to play.
The 37-40 Clippers enter tonight's huge match-up with the 40-38 Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET opening tip) one-half game behind Golden State for eighth, realizing that they still control their own fate but knowing that they may need to finish the regular season with a 5-0 streak to make their second straight post season showing.
The Clippers schedule isn’t favorable either starting with tonight’s game. Since the Lakers have yet to clinch a playoff berth and are struggling to hold onto their current seventh spot and only 2 ½ games ahead of the Clippers, they will have plenty of incentive to win this game on their home floor in front of their fans at STAPLES CENTER.
The Lakers, installed as -2 ½ point favorite at most offshore sportsbooks with a 197 total, last played the Clippers on April 4 losing as the visitor 82-90 as a +3.0 point underdog. The Lakers currently hold a 2-1 edge in the season series with the Clippers and also 2-1 against the spread. The total has gone UNDER in two of the three games in the series match-up.
T he Lakers haven't been world beaters themselves lately, losers of their last two and six of their last eight. They too are still battling to get into the playoffs, but are in far better shape along those lines than the Clippers. Phil Jackson's team is a magic number of two from clinching with four to play on the slate.
It's still possible for the Clippers to overtake the Lakers in the standings, given the fact that after tonight's L.A. encounter the Lakers are at Phoenix tomorrow night, Seattle home Sunday and Sacramento home Wednesday.
The Lakers have struggled to beat losing teams on their home floor this season. In the loss to the Clippers a week ago, Chris Kaman took advantage of Lakers’ Kwame Brown’s absence by putting up 17 points, 14 rebounds and blocked four shots.
Brown will miss tonight's battle still nursing a sore left ankle. Kaman's ability to duplicate his effort of last Wednesday and the Clippers ability to match a defensive scheme that bottled up Kobe Bryant, holding him to a 13-34 shooting night could be significant keys in the outcome of this game. A game that could well determine whether or not the Clippers play beyond April 18th.
