Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Fri Dec 25, 2015 10:05 am

(16-13)Image at Image(5-24)

Friday, December 25, 2015, 7:30 PM PDT
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Referees: Derrick Stafford, Kevin Cutler, Leroy Richardson

Line: Clippsterns -12.5


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GAME PREVIEW: CLIPPSTERNS AT LAKERS

By BRETT HUSTON, nba.com

Kobe Bryant is about to mark another memory off on his long list of goodbyes as he suits up for his Christmas swan song.

Saying hello to the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time this season should be enough to put the scuffling Clippers in the holiday spirit.

A suddenly resurgent Bryant will play for the 16th and final time on Christmas Day as the Clippers look to snap out of a funk with an eighth straight victory over their Staples Center co-tenants.

For an 11-game stretch from Nov. 22-Dec. 11 that included the announcement that this season would be his last, it looked as if Bryant and the Lakers (5-24) would have been better off had that retirement taken place immediately. He shot 29.4 percent and averaged 15.5 points as Los Angeles went 1-10.

He's shown a few signs of his old self over the last five, averaging 23.8 points and shooting 46.2 percent while the Lakers have won twice. But within that recent stretch, including a game Bryant sat out to rest, has been the same old reality check: four losses by a combined 124 points.

"Listen, you have to be realistic about what we're facing and where we are right now as a team and as an organization," Bryant said after Wednesday's 120-85 loss to Oklahoma City. "I mean, you can train a cat to bark all you want, but the damn cat's not going to bark. So there's no sense in yelling at it."

Now Bryant turns his attention to one final Christmas showcase, a stage that typically hasn't gone well for him. He's averaged 27.4 points in his 14 starts on Dec. 25, but the Lakers are 5-9. Bryant also played five minutes off the bench on Christmas as a rookie in 1996.

"I feel really honored, having played several games on Christmas and being in so many households at a very special time," Bryant said. "It's been a wonderful experience, and I'm looking forward to playing this last one."

He hasn't been healthy for the past two, missing losses to Chicago and Miami. The most recent he played was a more vintage 34-point effort in a 2012 win over New York.

The Clippers (16-13) have played on Christmas for the past four years, winning three times. Two of those victories came against Golden State, including a 100-86 final last season that wound up being a season-low point total for the NBA champions.

Playing up to the level of their competition is something the Clippers have yet to do this season. They enter this one having lost three straight to Western Conference contenders, the latest Monday's 100-99 heartbreaker against Oklahoma City.

The Clippers either led or were tied for almost all of a 42-minute stretch before Russell Westbrook's go-ahead 3 with 48 seconds left.

"The great teams are able to bring it every night, no matter who they are playing against," Chris Paul said. "That's why the Spurs, Warriors, those types of teams have the records they do. We have had different lineups every night and different guys in and out, but that is part of fielding a great team."

Josh Smith was benched against the Thunder while Austin Rivers (ankle) and Paul Pierce didn't play. On the Lakers' side, Julius Randle was set to see a foot specialist after missing Wednesday's loss with an ankle injury, but he's probable.

This rivalry hasn't been much of one for a while. The Clippers have won seven straight in the series by an average of 24.6 as Blake Griffin has put up 26.7 points per game and shot 61.3 percent.

"You talk about two teams that are desperate right now, for different reasons," Lakers coach Byron Scott said. "Their expectations are to try to win a championship this year. I'm pretty sure they're not going to be very happy (Friday).

"They would love nothing more than to beat us by 40."


http://www.nba.com/games/20151225/LACLAL/gameinfo.html
I LOVE BASKETBALL! GO LAKERS! #18 COMIN' UP STRONG!!! TOO EASY, JUST WAAAAY TOO EASY!!!!! NEXT! :rollyellow:
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Fri Dec 25, 2015 10:10 am

The Clippers went just as deep in the playoffs under Mike Dunleavy in 2006 as they have as the Clippsterns under Doc and Vinny Del Negro.

So Chris Kaman gets the photo op with Kobe.

So there.

Sammy and I will pay stupid prices to represent tonight.

Merry Christmas and Happy belated Festivus.
I LOVE BASKETBALL! GO LAKERS! #18 COMIN' UP STRONG!!! TOO EASY, JUST WAAAAY TOO EASY!!!!! NEXT! :rollyellow:
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Fri Dec 25, 2015 10:28 am

KobeMVP888 wrote:The Clippers went just as deep in the playoffs under Mike Dunleavy in 2006 as they have as the Clippsterns under Doc and Vinny Del Negro.

So Chris Kaman gets the photo op with Kobe.

So there.

Sammy and I will pay stupid prices to represent tonight.

Merry Christmas and Happy belated Festivus.


Great stuff! Hopefully everyone is having a Merry Christmas. This is actually a winnable game as the Clippers have struggled this season. Would be cool to beat them on Christmas night! Clippers have Great talent but their chemistry is whack! Cant even make a Final 4 with CP3, Blake, and Jordan + shooters like Reddick and Crawford = pretty Bad with Doc Coaching! Watching the Heat/Pelicans right now, man Wade looks awesome. I am surprised he has never won an MVP of the League but then again Jeter never did either in Baseball and Kobe only won 1. The Pelicans are one of the big disappointments in the league, 9-19 so far.
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby lakerevolution » Fri Dec 25, 2015 3:56 pm

The Ugly Sweater Movement is real. And we have two ugly sweater teams here. Only difference on this Christmas is that everybody wants to see Kobe Triumphant. Everybody.

Clippers by 17 maybe, but maybe we make a real game out of it with these billion-dollar store paper clips. Never let em say "Staples -- that was easy."
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Fri Dec 25, 2015 8:52 pm

Big Roy looks like Wilt early with all of our points. Figures nobody else is doing anything though. The 1 game Roy is assertive, everyone else is playing sloppy. Nice 3 by Lou too. Only down 18-12 early. I hope we keep this close. I am sure Kenny has a Plan B if we are down 20 at Half :waaaaa:
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Fri Dec 25, 2015 9:00 pm

Roy is even setting mean picks which have resulted in a couple of baskets. One thing I notice is, the Clippers are drawing Roy out of the paint and once they do that the Clippers are getting easy baskets. Roy came out to challenge CP3 and altered his shot actually but nobody picked up Jordan and he slammed in the miss, that isn't Roy's fault. It's a switch and nobody picked up Roy's guy. This has been happening a lot this season. Anyway Russell just nailed a 3! Still only down 8. 27-19
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Fri Dec 25, 2015 9:06 pm

The young guys playing sloppy. Turnover by Russ and Randle. Down 32-22 after the 1st, Kobe a goose egg so far. Maybe he will get it going.
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby Lakers4Life » Fri Dec 25, 2015 9:11 pm

Fuck the Clippers
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby Lakers4Life » Fri Dec 25, 2015 9:12 pm

Clippers Suck donkey balls
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby Lakers4Life » Fri Dec 25, 2015 9:13 pm

I hate the clippers
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby Lakers4Life » Fri Dec 25, 2015 9:14 pm

D'Angelo Russell is our best player so far tonight
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby Lakers4Life » Fri Dec 25, 2015 9:17 pm

Hopefully Scott doesn't bench him in the 2nd half :roll:
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby Lakers4Life » Fri Dec 25, 2015 9:18 pm

Jordan Clarkson can't hit a 3-pointer to save his life lately
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby Lakers4Life » Fri Dec 25, 2015 9:19 pm

These Christmas unis are kind of plain
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Re: Gm 30: Clippsterns at Lakers Christmas GAME THREAD

Postby Lakers4Life » Fri Dec 25, 2015 9:22 pm

Very important time of the game. Down by 10. Could turn into a blow out. Or we could make this a game
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