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Blake Griffin goes for a dunk. (Rick Bowmer / Associated Press / December 28, 2012) |
The Lakers (15-16) visit the Clippers (25-8) on Friday night at Staples Center.
After winning 17 straight games, the Clippers have suddenly lost two in a row, both on the road (Denver and Golden State). Even with the two losses, they still have the second-best winning percentage in the league (75.8%), behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
On Nov. 2, the Lakers fell apart in the third quarter, losing to the Clippers 105-95. By then, Steve Nash was already out with a leg injury, with Steve Blake starting in his place.
Jamal Crawford led the Clippers with 21 points off the bench, but that was part of a balanced effort that was able to overcome 40 points from Kobe Bryant.
The Lakers are desperate for wins just to climb back into the top eight in the Western Conference. The Clippers are fighting for the best record in the league, but coming off of a two-game losing streak, they should be hungry for a win (especially against the Lakers).
Key matchup
Chris Paul is a problem for 29 teams in the league. He's the engine that drives the Clippers every night.
Paul is averaging 16.3 points a game along with 9.2 assists in 33.1 minutes a game. The Clippers have the deepest bench in the league, which allows their stars to play relatively light minutes.
Nash has helped the Lakers organize their offense, but defensively the team is still trying to learn how to play together. In five games since his return, Nash has averaged 12.2 points and 9.6 assists while shooting 58.7% from the field, 40% from three-point range and 100% from the line.
Even with Nash's incredible shooting numbers, it's probably going to be harder for him to keep up with Paul than the other way around.
X-factor
The Clippers' bench has been their X-factor all season. Often it's Crawford with a big night, but players such as Matt Barnes and Eric Bledsoe have taken over games. During their 17-game winning streak, Blake Griffin and Paul often sat out entire fourth quarters while the subs blew games open.
Bledsoe in particular could be a problem for the Lakers with his speed, athleticism and ability to force turnovers.
The Lakers need to swing the game defensively. Coach Mike D'Antoni has to find a player or players to slow down the Clippers, be it Darius Morris, Metta World Peace, Jordan Hill, Jodie Meeks and/or Bryant.
Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol in the middle should be able to protect the basket with their size and length, but so far this season their efforts have been inconsistent.
Outlook
The Clippers have been better than the Lakers this season by a sizable margin. Based on their recent play, there's no compelling reason to expect the Lakers to pull out the victory.
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Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.
