Clippers at Lakers
The Los Angeles Clippers are piling up the wins and seek their 10th in
the last 11 games when they are the visiting club against the Los
Angeles Lakers on Sunday. The Clippers posted a 107-92 victory over the
Denver Nuggets on Saturday to move within one game of the third-place
Memphis Grizzlies in the bunched-up Western Conference.
The Lakers have lost four of their last five games and a loss would break the franchise record for defeats. The Lakers went 27-55 last season in the worst season in franchise history and the current squad would have to go 7-0 to avoid setting a new mark for losses. The Clippers defeated the Lakers in the season’s first two meetings and Sunday’s contest will be followed up with another between the two squads on Tuesday. The 15-point win over Denver was the Clippers’ sixth by double digits during the current 10-game run.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Clippers), TWC SportsNet (Lakers)
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (51-26): Proving they are the best team in Los Angeles is still a big deal to the Clippers despite the Lakers’ porous season. “They’re just down right now,” forward Matt Barnes told reporters, “but you know an organization like that is not going to stay down, so we’re just taking advantage of them being down and making sure we kick their (rear) every chance we get.” Barnes scored 19 points in the most-recent meeting when the Clippers registered a 114-89 victory.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (20-55): Los Angeles coach Byron Scott said at Saturday’s practice that small forward Nick Young (fractured left kneecap) won’t play again this season. Young has missed the past 20 games and struggled even when healthy by averaging 13.4 points on a career-low 36.6 percent from the field. “It’s just a matter of getting him healthy – and understanding going into next year his priorities need to be a little different,” Scott told reporters. “He’s a home run or strikeout type guy on the offensive end. Just like I told him, he has to elevate his game.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Clippers have won the last five meetings.
2. Lakers rookie G Jordan Clarkson had 27 points against Portland on Friday and is averaging 21.9 points over the last seven games.
3. Clippers SG Jamal Crawford (calf) is expected to return early next week.