The Los Angeles Lakers have won two in a row and are holding on to one of the top six spots in the Western Conference. They extended their win streak to two games on Friday night despite being without Anthony Davis and Dorian Finney-Smith. Luckily, L.A.’s superstar big man and recent trade acquisition return as the Lakers face a fascinating test in the Clippers on Sunday evening.
The Lakers and Clippers shared a home in downtown Los Angeles for 25 years. It led to a strained relationship between the two fanbases, and players on both teams would often talk about the little brother effect it had on the Clippers. Owner Steve Ballmer opted to find the Clippers a new home, and they are now playing in the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, near the Kia Forum and SoFi Stadium.
Ice Breaker in Inglewood
For the first time, the Lakers and Clippers will meet in Inglewood, and they’ll do so at a time in the season with significant intrigue. Nearing the halfway point, the Lakers are 22-17 and currently sit in the No. 6 spot in the conference. The Clippers are 23-17 and sit at No. 5. The Lakers head into this game as underdogs, with most online betting sites having them getting +4.0 or +4.5 points, with money lines between +140 and +160.
More importantly, with the Lakers having only a two-game advantage on No. 11, they can’t afford to lose many games to teams in the same clump of the standings from here on out. And with Davis back, the Lakers should be in strong contention to get a victory.
Who’sin and Who’s Out
Davis missed Friday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets due to calf soreness. Jaxson Hayes and LeBron James, both listed as probable, are good to go, meaning only Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood are missing, a familiar sight for L.A.
Finney-Smith returns after missing time due to the birth of his son, and having that wing presence defensively is significant for this matchup.
James Harden, Ivica Zubac, and Norman Powell were all listed as questionable but are expected to play. All three could present issues for the Lakers, so they’ll have to figure out how to game plan for multiple threats.
Kawhi Leonard is also in the Clippers’ lineup, and a mix of LeBron, Rui Hachimura, and Finney-Smith should guard the team’s oft-injured star.
The Clippers have been a far better defensive team this season. They have the second-best defense in the NBA but rank No. 22 on the offensive end. A part of that has been players missing games, but it’s also the personnel they have.
Simply put, the Clippers are a team that outhustles and outworks its opponent every night, grinding out difficult victories. The Lakers have had issues against those types of teams this season and, more than ever, need to communicate, play with aggression, and be leaders in the way that head coach JJ Redick has posed.
Los Angeles Lakers (22-17) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (23-17)
Sunday, January 19, 2025, 6:00 p.m. PT
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California
TV: NBA TV, Spectrum SportsNet
Radio: 710 AM ESPN LA
Projected Lakers Starting Lineup:
PG: Austin Reaves
SG: Max Christie
SF: Rui Hachimura
PF: LeBron James
C: Anthony Davis
Key Reserves: Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent, Jaxson Hayes, Dalton Knecht
Projected Clippers Starting Lineup:
PG: James Harden
SG: Norman Powell
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Derrick Jones Jr.
C: Ivica Zubac
Key Reserves: Terance Mann, Amir Coffey, Nic Batum, Kris Dunn, Mo Bamba
