The Battle Within

They can’t pretend not to notice each other anymore.

The Lakers and the Clippers have always dealt with each other only when they had to, like the in-town relative you invite to Thanksgiving dinner just to keep peace in the family.

But for the most part, they traveled in different social circles. The Lakers were on the list at SkyBar, the Clippers drank brews at the tavern around the corner.

The Lakers began each season with aspirations of playing in June. The Clippers counted down the days until the end of the regular season in April.

The Lakers played at the Forum, where the limos dropped off stars as if it were Oscar night and the network TV trucks parked outside weekly.

The Clippers played before friends and family at the Sports Arena, whose last great basketball moment occurred when Carver High won the city championship there in “The White Shadow.”

Now the Clippers and Lakers both call Staples Center home.

It’s appropriate that they share the same building, because the teams appear closer to finding common ground than they have in many years.

Here’s what’s different: It’s easier to imagine the Clippers battling for a playoff spot than it is to picture the Lakers contending for the championship this season.

The Lakers need time and a couple of more components to get where they want to be. All the Clippers need to reach their more modest destination are a few breaks.

The expectations have come down a few notches for the Lakers. The Clippers look ready to join the ranks of the respectable. It’s possible both teams could end up somewhere in the thick of a tough Western Conference. Think of the Lakers as upper-middle class and the Clippers as lower-middle class, but in similar income tax brackets all the same.

Although each team has its own painted hardwood floor, the Clippers actually belong on the same court as the Lakers now. That counts as progress for the Clips.

The Lakers have the star appeal and big guns in Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Glen Rice, but they don’t have enough depth and role players to support them. They don’t have the familiarity with the new offensive system.

The Clippers, for a change, have guys you might recognize out of uniform. They have guys who can play. You could do a lot worse than Maurice Taylor, Michael Olowokandi and Lamar Odom for your front-line players. They make a nice NBA franchise starter kit. With players such as Tyrone Nesby and Erick Murdock--who can make opponents wince if they don’t pay attention to them--to round them out, the Clippers are respectable. They’re not an automatic W for opponents.

For so long, Lakers versus Clippers fit only the loosest definition of a rivalry, in the way that Roadrunner versus Wile E. Coyote qualifies as a rivalry, even though only one keeps going over the cliff.

In the 15 seasons since the Clippers left San Diego and docked in L.A., they have finished within 30 victories of the Lakers only six times--including last season’s abbreviated schedule.

They have finished with a better record than the Lakers only twice: in 1991-92 and 1992-93.

Those were the murky years at the Forum, after Magic Johnson’s announcement that he was HIV-positive had brought the Showtime era to a premature close and before the Lake Show teams emerged as a viable replacement.

By contrast, those were heady days for the Clippers, under the guidance of Larry Brown. Forget the NCAA championship at Kansas or the Final Four trip with UCLA. Brown’s greatest accomplishment was taking the Clippers to the playoffs both seasons he was here and leaving as the only coach in franchise history with a winning record.

Bad seasons are blips on the Laker time line. They’re a way of life for the Clippers. Even when things are good, they’re not easy.

Despite their improved state, the Clippers face a tough fight to join the field of eight teams that will compete in the Western Conference playoffs.

Figure San Antonio, Portland, the Lakers, Houston, Utah, Phoenix to be playoff locks. That means the Clippers will have to contend with teams such as Sacramento, Minnesota and Seattle for the final two spots.

The Lakers’ long-term prospects still look better. A better foundation, better front office. The Clippers still have the Donald Sterling factor, which could manifest itself in the departure of Taylor come summertime. Then they would be dismantled before they ever were fully assembled.

For the moment, however, the Clippers can simply enjoy their new digs. They even get the honor of hosting Staples Center’s formal basketball opener tonight.

The Clippers and Lakers, housemates. Now we’ll find out just how much they have in common.

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Tale of the Tape

Comparing the Lakers and Clippers since the Clippers moved to Los Angeles. Chart shows regular-season record, with division finish in parentheses:

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LAKERS YEAR CLIPPERS 62-20 (1st) 1984-85 31-51 (4th) 62-20 (1st) 1985-86 32-50 (3rd) 65-17 (1st) 1986-87 12-70 (6th) 62-20 (1st) 1987-88 17-65 (6th) 57-25 (1st) 1988-89 21-61 (7th) 63-19 (1st) 1989-90 30-52 (6th) 58-24 (2nd) 1990-91 31-51 (6th) 43-39 (6th) 1991-92 45-37 (5th) 39-43 (5th) 1992-93 41-41 (4th) 33-49 (5th) 1993-94 27-55 (7th) 48-34 (3rd) 1994-95 17-65 (7th) 53-29 (2nd) 1995-96 29-53 (7th) 56-26 (2nd) 1996-97 36-46 (5th) 61-21 (T1st) 1997-98 17-65 (7th) 31-19 (2nd) 1999 9-41 (7th) 793-405 Total 395-803 14 Playoff appearances 3

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