The Battle for LA.
No better term comes to mind when talking about the new crosstown rivalry between the Lakers (15-16) and the Pacific Division-leading Clippers (25-8) who will face off Friday night when Kobe Bryant and company play the duo of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the rest of "Lob City" at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif.
It might as well be a tale of two different cities, though, when it comes to these two teams.
Under Paul and Griffin, the Clippers have emerged with the second-best record in the NBA and recently come off an amazing 17-game winning streak. The Lakers, however, have struggled all season, despite their star-powered lineup of Bryant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, with a losing record and a coaching change to Mike D'Antoni.
Even Bryant admitted this week that the Lakers were an "old" team.
The Clippers beat the Lakers in their first game of their four-game season series, 105-95, on Nov. 2.
While the Lakers have traditionally owned Los Angeles with their 16 NBA Championships and storied tradition, the Clippers' exciting play and new winning persona are capturing a lot of new fans. So, who owns LA? Tonight, we might find out.
Latinos Post breaks down the match-ups for this star-studded match-up:
Power forward: Blake Griffin, Clippers vs. Pau Gasol, Lakers
You won't find a match-up at the four spot more glamorous than this.
Griffin, the leading scorer on the Clippers with 17.4 points per game, has been explosive all season, bringing his athleticism, strength and absurd leaping ability to each game, making him very hard to contain.
Gasol, who has been struggling this season on one of his worst statistical years ever (12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds, down from his career averages in both categories). Having had knee issues already this season that forced him to miss games, Gasol is not his once-sensational self, but he can still defend with the best of them. And he'll need all of that and more when he takes on the younger, stronger Griffin.
Advantage: Clippers
Small forward: Matt Barnes, Clippers vs. Darius Morris, Lakers
Big and athletic at 6'7", Barnes has been a steady presence at small forward for the Lakers all season, scoring 13.1 points and 1.1 blocks in the last 10 games.
Morris, a natural guard, doesn't contribute a lot of points, but he has a tremendous upside due to his youth.
Advantage: Barnes
Center: DeAndre Jordan, Clippers vs. Dwight Howard, Lakers
Howard hasn't been himself lately, scoring only 14.9 points with 12.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in the last 10 games, his coring numbers way below his usual All-Star standard. Still, even at only an average playing level for Howard, he's still head and shoulders above many other centers in the NBA. But to beat the Clippers tonight, the Lakers are going to need Howard to be his regular dominating self in the paint.
He'll be facing Jordan, a staunch defender (1.4 blocks in the last 10 games) who can provide meaningful contributions on offense when the Clippers need him to, as his 16-point game against Utah on Dec. 28 shows.
Advantage: Lakers
Shooting Guard: Willie Green, Clippers vs. Kobe Bryant, Lakers
The Clippers will be missing Chauncey Billups, out with a foot injury, especially because of his defensive contributions on the floor. Filling in will be Green, who has a reputation as a solid guard with a nice shooting touch, although he has only shot for 38.7 percent in the last 10 games.
But he'll really need to turn up the defense against Bryant, the top-ranked scorer in the NBA at a staggering 30.3 points per game. Last time they played each other, Bryant torched the Clippers for 40 points on Nov. 2 in a Lakers loss. And the way he's been playing lately, with 33.8 points in the last 10 games, he could very well do so again.
Advantage: Lakers
Point Guard: Chris Paul, Clippers vs. Steve Nash Lakers
This will be one great match-up to watch.
Since his arrival to the Clippers, Paul has been the driving force behind an overnight turnaround in the Clippers fortunes from laughingstock into title contenders. Aside from his 16.3 points this season, Paul leads the league in steals (2.67 steals per game) and is second in the league in assists with 9.2 per game. A game-changer by the very definition of the term, he's in his prime and looking unstoppable at virtually every turn.
Nash missed a good chunk of the season, but is starting to pick up where he left off as one of the greatest ball facilitators in the history of the NBA. The two-time league MVP is averaging 12.2 points in his last five games with 9.6 assists, though his historic lack of defensive ability could harm the Lakers if he lets the younger and faster Paul get going tonight.
Advantage: Clippers
Bench: Lamar Odom, Ronny Turiaf, Jamal Crawford, Eric Bledsoe, Clippers vs. Metta World Peace, Jodie Meeks, Jordan Hill, Lakers
As dangerous as their starting five is, the Clippers have a bench that can more than back it up. Former Laker Lamar Odom should have a lot of motivation to play tonight against the team that traded him away to Dallas, where he was unhappy all of last season. Turiaf is a capable defender while Bledsoe adds depth and skill at the point guard slot, and as Crawford's 24 points against Golden State on Wednesday show, he can provide a big lift off the bench.
World Peace may be erratic off the court, but he can provide stable support off the bench for the Lakers. Hill has a strong night against Philadelphia on Wednesday and Meeks gives the Lakers a reliable backup at point guard.
Advantage: Clippers
Game time starts at 10:30 p.m. EST. Live score is available via TV Companion, here.
Live Streaming for the Game is can be seen via ESPN. (Service Provider Required)