Game 80: 04/05/19 Lakers at Clippers GAME THREAD
Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 6:09 am
(35-44) LAKERS AT CLIPPERS (47-32)
Friday, April 5, 2019, 7:30 PM PDT
Staples Center • Los Angeles, CA
Referees: Scott Foster (#48), Brian Forte (#45), Mitchell Ervin (#27)
Replay Center: Bennie Adams, Tyler Ford, Jonathan Sterling, Haywoode Workman
Line: Clippers -9.5
Local TV: Spectrum SportsNet & Bingo! Fox SportsWest
GAME PREVIEW: LAKERS AT CLIPPERS
https://www.nba.com/games/20190405/LALLAC#/preview
Friday, April 5, 2019, 7:30 PM PDT
Staples Center • Los Angeles, CA
Referees: Scott Foster (#48), Brian Forte (#45), Mitchell Ervin (#27)
Replay Center: Bennie Adams, Tyler Ford, Jonathan Sterling, Haywoode Workman
Line: Clippers -9.5
Local TV: Spectrum SportsNet & Bingo! Fox SportsWest
GAME PREVIEW: LAKERS AT CLIPPERS
by NBA.com
Battered and bruised after a humbling defeat to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Clippers can look to the other side of the court Friday night to see a team that has been feeling the same thing much longer.
In their final matchup this season against their Staples Center roommates, the Clippers will play host to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night with a chance to restore some pride.
The Clippers are coming off a 135-103 dismantling by the Rockets in a game that was not as close as the lopsided score would indicate.
If the Clippers (47-32) were feeling good after winning eight of their previous nine games and 13 of their previous 15, Houston took that all away in 48 minutes -- or less, considering the Rockets' 68-53 lead at halftime and 102-73 advantage heading into the final quarter.
It just seemed like piling on when former Clippers guard Chris Paul nailed a 61-foot heave from the other side of midcourt to end the third for the Rockets.
"(A blowout loss can) take you by surprise whenever it happens, but they do happen," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "I hate when they happen at home, personally, especially the way we've been playing. You never know, maybe we needed this. ... I don't know. I had like 3 1/2 quarters to think about it (and) I couldn't come up with anything. That's the best I have."
The matchup against the Lakers (35-44) would seem to be just what the Clippers need as they try to nail down the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference and a potential date with the likely No. 3 Rockets when the playoffs begin.
The Clippers, who have three regular-season games remaining, hold a 1 1/2-game edge on the seventh-place Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Friday matchup looks especially timely after the Lakers' 108-90 defeat to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday and the Lakers' loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Before falling to the Thunder, though, the Lakers had won four of five games, with three of those victories coming before LeBron James was shut down for the season.
While the Lakers' active players still have three contests remaining, James' downtime has allowed the superstar to look toward the future, specifically to the 2019-20 season.
"I've never played fantasy basketball, but I will be as active as I need to be (recruiting players) for this franchise to get better," James said this week, according to Bleacher Report. "That's why I came here. I came here to win. And obviously, we need to get better, as far as our personnel."
The reality is that the Clippers are the team to watch in town right now, although the Lakers can salvage some dignity with a victory Friday.
With games remaining vs. the Lakers, at Golden State and vs. the Utah Jazz, the Clippers still have an outside chance at a 50-win season, something that seemed far from likely when the season started and even remained doubtful when the roster was reshaped at the February trade deadline.
Yet here the Clippers are.
"We have been on a good run, and every once in a while, you (have games like Wednesday)," Clippers guard Lou Williams said. "I think (Wednesday) was that night for us. It was humbling, but we'll be ready for the next one."
The Clippers are still awaiting the return of veteran guard Patrick Beverley (hip pointer). While James and guards Josh Hart (knee), Brandon Ingram (shoulder) and Lonzo Ball (ankle) are done for the year, forward Kyle Kuzma (foot) and center Tyson Chandler (illness) are listed as day-to-day.
https://www.nba.com/games/20190405/LALLAC#/preview