Lakers at Clippers
Kobe Bryant will be back on the court for the Lakers when the latest installment of the series with the host Clippers is held Wednesday at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Bryant was held out of Monday’s 98-94 road loss to the Portland Trail Blazers to rest his sore body and should be fit and healthy against the Clippers. The Atlanta Hawks dealt the Clippers a 107-98 home loss Monday in one of the sloppier efforts of the season for the Clippers.
The Clippers defeated the Lakers 118-111 on Oct. 31 behind Blake Griffin’s 39 points in the only meeting this season. Lakers forward Jordan Hill scored 23 points in the earlier meeting and he again stepped up big in the loss to Portland, contributing 23 points to tie his season high and also grabbing 14 rebounds. The Clippers committed 21 turnovers in the loss to the Hawks and also allowed 63 second-half points.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TWC SportsNet (Lakers), Prime Ticket (Clippers)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (11-24): Portland overcame the Lakers down the stretch and the overwhelming topic of discussion was the absence of Bryant. “Of course we needed Kobe down the stretch,” forward Nick Young told reporters. “We’re all so used to him being there in the last couple minutes in the game.” Forward Ed Davis is playing with a mask to protect a broken nose and he may have company in guard Ronnie Price, who took an elbow to the nose against Portland and required 11 stitches to close the wound.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (23-12): The showing against the Hawks was disappointing as the Clippers were beaten soundly due to their poor ball-handling efforts and shaky defense. “It’s tough to win when you turn the ball over the way we turned the ball over,” coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “We were very lax with the ball. When you give a team like that – the way they play offense – that many extra possessions, you’re going to lose the game.” Center DeAndre Jordan was critical of the defense, telling reporters, “You see it in spurts, of us having the right tools to be a great defensive team, and then also there’s times that we look like we don’t know what we’re doing.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Clippers have won eight of the past 10 meetings.
2. Lakers F Wesley Johnson (hip flexor) will miss his second straight game.
3. Jordan is 16-of-18 from the field over the last three games.