This morning, Twitter was all a flurry as excited Lakers fans began to catch onto the fact that Kobe caved and got a Twitter account. A real, run by him, only Kobe tweets, Twitter account. All the Mamba had to say? “The antisocial has become social #mambatweets.” How profound.
His profile has no photo. No background image. No real bio. And yet, none of that matters. The King of L.A. already has 308,169 followers, and I bet every second it takes me to type this post his followers increase by 100. It goes to show the absolute impact Bryant has had on the sports world, here in the US and worldwide. His brand is rather sensational.
Tonight Kobe and the rest of the Lakers clan prepare to take on their L.A. rivals, the Clippers. The Clippers won each game in December, recently ending their 17 game winning streak, while the Lakers continue to search for answers and a definitive identity. The Lakers fell to the Clippers in the first match-up of the regular season 105-95. However, it can be different this time around. Nash will be in the game (he was injured last time) and Mike D’Antoni will be taking the reigns instead of Mike Brown.
Since the team’s move to LA in 1984 the Clippers haven’t finished above 5th in the Western Conference. In the recent years, there has been a movement of talent to the Clippers in the likes of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul that have jetted the team to the top of the West. A place the Lakers normally reside. The Clippers couldn’t have picked a better time to start getting good. With the Lakers in a transitional period the Clippers have a little more room to breathe in the Pacific Division. The Lakers may still be regarded as a dynasty, but the Clippers are scratching their way up.
For the rest on the pregrame report, click here.
Los Angeles Lakers (15-16) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (25-5)
7:30 PM PST, January 4, 2013
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
TV: TWC Sports Network, ESPN
Radio: 710 ESPN (English) 1330 KWKW (Spanish)
Clippers Projected Starting Line-up
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Willie Green
SF: Caron Butler
PF: Blake Griffin
C: DeAndre Jordan
Key Reserves: G Jamal Crawford, G Eric Bledsoe, F Matt Barnes
Lakers Nation News
Kobe Bryant on Clippers: “They’re Definitely One of the Top Contenders”
Sibling Rivalry: What the Clippers’ Success Means for the Lakers
Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Joins Twitter, Worlds Collide
Bryant Believes Jamal Crawford Should Win Sixth Man of the Year
Lakers Rumors: Kobe Bryant Back On Twitter?
Third All-Star Ballot Returns Release; Bryant Surprised with Lead
Lakers vs. Clippers Pre-Game Report: Battle LA Part II
Video: Lakers at Clippers Friday Night Preview
Phil Jackson And Jeanie Buss Finally Get Engaged
Video: Reliving the Best of the 2012 Lakers
Practice Report: 5-on-5 Contact, Keys to Clippers & Injury Updates
Lakers News
Los Angeles Lakers Are Facing Uncertain Times [Silver Screen and Roll]
Beast or Burden: Uncertain Times [Silver Screen and Roll]
Preview: Lakers at Clippers; The Way It Is [Silver Screen and Roll]
Writer’s Roundtable: Where do the Lakers Stand? [Silver Screen and Roll]
Chris Duhon Remains Game-Time Decision Against Clippers [Inside the Lakers]
Kobe Bryant Says Jamal Crawford Should be Sixth Man of the Year [LA Times]
Thursday Practice Report [Lakers Blog]
Preview and Chat: The Los Angeles Clippers [Forum Blue and Gold]
Five Keys for Lakers against Clippers [ESPN]
The Forum: Lakers Not Playing With Urgency [LA Lakers Blog]
Kobe Sends Out His First Twitter Message [Lakers Blog]
Lakers-Clippers Series has Been Historically Lopsided [LA Times]
Lakers Trying to Find the Right Pace in Their Offense [Inside the Lakers]
Kobe Bryant Confirms that the Clippers are Championship Worthy (VIDEO) [ProBasketballTalk]
Clippers Determined to Forge Own Identity in L.A. Turf Battle with Lakers [Yahoo Sports]
Ham on Kobe and Jordan [Lakers Blog]
Mike D’Antoni Calls Amare Stoudemire’s Criticism of His Defensive Coaching “Mind Boggling” [Inside the Lakers]
Phil Jackson and Jeanie Buss Got Engaged [Ball Don’t Lie]
Kobe Bryant, All-Star Vote Leader, Says He’s ‘An Old Dog’ [LA Times]
Lakers By the Numbers [LA Lakers Blog]
Lakers vs. Clippers: Not a Battle for Soul of L.A., but a Real Battle [ProBasketballTalk]
Mike D’Antoni Appreciates Kobe Bryant’s Honest State of the Team Analysis [Inside the Lakers]
NBA News
San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks – Recap [ESPN]
Daequan Cook Waived by Rockets, Signed Instantly by Bulls [ProBasketballTalk]
Despite Hot Start, Heat Struggling to Rebound [NBA.com]
Nuggets Embarrassed Themselves in Loss to Love-Less, Rubio-Less Timberwolves [Ball Don’t Lie]
Chris Paul for MVP, Miami Heat Title Favorites, More Lessons Learned [SI.com]
David Stern: NBA Will ‘for sure’ Add European Teams [SI Tracking Blog]
Toxicology Testing Due in Scott Sterling Death [Yahoo! Sports]
Stephen Jackson of San Antonio Spurs Falls Into Waitress, Sprains Ankle [ESPN]
Nuggets’ Miller Joins Exclusive Points, Assists Club [NBA.com]
2013 NBA All-Star voting: Kobe Bryant Leads LeBron James [The Point Forward]
Derrick Rose Takes ‘Next Step,’ Joins Chicago Bulls on Road Trip [ESPN Chicago]
The Reeling Boston Celtics are Struggling at League-Low Levels with Kevin Garnett Off the Floor [Yahoo! Sports]
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets – Recap [ESPN]
DeMar DeRozan Watched Game Film Instead of Going Out on New Year’s Eve [Ball Don’t Lie]
One Last Look Back: Top 10 Plays of 2012 (VIDEO) [ProBasketballTalk]
Fab Melo: Boston Celtics Rookie Suffers Concussion [The Point Forward]
Probe: Union Execs Broke No Laws, but Need to Change Policies [CBSSports.com]