Team: Los Angeles Lakers (8-11) at Los Angeles Clippers (7-11)
Time: Monday, November 27, 2017 at 10:30pm ET (Staples Center)
Brace yourselves for part 2 of the Battle for Los Angeles tonight. The last time the Lakers met the Clippers on opening night, both teams were completely different; the Clippers decimated the Lakers 108-92. Fast forward to today, the Clippers are no longer the undefeated & confident team they once were. While the Lakers aren’t a dominant team, they’re no longer a pushover.
After losing 9 straight games, the Clippers are now in the middle of a 2 game winning streak. Their success is due to their increased ball movement, and defensive energy. In the last two games, the Clippers averaged 26.5 assists a game, and held their opponents to 99 points.
The Lakers are coming off of a loss against Sacramento, but have won 2 out of the last 3 games. Larry Nance Jr has recovered from a fractured left hand and will likely join the team for tonight’s game. While the Lakers are only 8-11, the team hustles incredibly hard. In order to be successful, the Clippers need to match the Lakers’ hustle & effort.
Interrupt the Offense
The Lakers are 15th best offensive team in the league (105.3 PPG), and the 12th best passing team (22.7 APG). However, their big achilles’ heel is their inability to hold the ball; the Lakers are 29th in the league at turnovers per game (16.8). This means the Clippers really need to interrupt the flow of the Lakers’ offense. The Lakers are a young team that can implode during a quarter, so the Clippers really need to capitalize on that youth. One big thing to note, is that Deandre Jordan tends to disrespect jump shooting big men. He needs to stay attached to Brook Lopez, otherwise Lopez will score the three ball.
Hustle on the Boards
The Lakers are a young team that hustles hard for 48 minutes of the game. They’re also the 4th best rebounding team at 47 RPG. The Clippers need to match the Lakers’ effort on 50/50 balls and overall hustle. Any missed opportunity will result in a Lonzo Ball rebound, or a Larry Nance put-back.
The Clippers have beaten the Lakers the last 19/21 games, but will the trend continue tonight?
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