After kicking off the season with a dominant victory against the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers (1-0) will take on the L.A. Clippers (1-0) on Friday. The Clippers are coming off their own strong win over the Sacramento Kings.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. L.A. Clippers
When: 7 p.m. PT, Oct 23
Where: Crypto.com Arena
Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet
The purple and gold couldn’t have asked for a better way to begin the new season.
Luka Dončić was dominant, Austin Reaves picked up where he left and, oh my goodness,
Walker Kessler was incredible. The Lakers delivered commendable two-way basketball most of the night, with their role players stepping up and fitting seamlessly into the mix.
The best part about the team’s first win is that they have so much to build on and improve. Can we highlight how often and easily everyone was at getting to the rim? The Lakers scored 66 points inside the paint compared to the Warriors’ 56. They may have shot just 22.2% from the 3-point line and nabbed seven fewer rebounds, but they beat them in transition as well.
Granted, the Warriors were down two starters, but that win offered plenty of reasons for optimism and should give the Lakers added confidence heading into their matchup against their crosstown rivals.
A new era for the Clippers
Like the Lakers, the Clippers ushered in a new era this offseason without Kawhi Leonard. They technically can’t be considered a rebuilding team because they simply don’t have incentive to tank. What they’ve put together this offseason can be considered a competitive team on paper but even that offers little optimism for their future.
The Clippers, as we speak, also have multiple injuries. Brandon Ingram is dealing with a partially torn right Achilles tendon, Max Strus with the plantar fascia in his right foot and Bradley Beal with an inflamed knee. So as of right now, the Clippers’ best player is Darius Garland, who is coming off a great 30-point outing against the Kings.
A different kind of matchup
This Clippers team will be a tougher matchup for the Lakers than the Warriors because they’re more complete at every position. With Isaiah Jackson and Brook Lopez anchoring their frontcourt, it’ll be interesting to see how Kessler handles this matchup.
Not to mention, former Laker Rui Hachimura will be on the other side as well and, knowing the 6’8” ft forward, he’s going to be extra energized for this one.
That said, the Lakers still have a good chance of winning this matchup just because they’re the more talented team. It’s difficult to envision a team lacking the necessary defensive personnel containing Dončić, Reaves, and Kessler all at once. With a more talented supporting cast, the purple and gold should be well-equipped to maintain their level of play.
A Ty Lue-coached team will always bring it against the Lakers and it’ll up to the latter to rise to the challenge and bring that same energy. Let’s see if the Lakers can carry the momentum from their season-opening win into Friday’s first Battle of L.A.
Notes and Updates
- Speaking of what we hope to see, remember, Clippers guard Kris Dunn and Luka have had their fair share of spats over the years. Perhaps Dunn can pull a Yaxel Lendeborg because a riled-up and feisty Luka is always fun to watch.
- The Lakers are facing another Pacific Division team, which means this game becomes a little more important. It’s worth keeping track of throughout the season because division wins come in handy when playoff seedings shake out.
- For the Lakers’ injury report, Cameron Carr (right oblique strain) and Adou Thiero (left knee effusion) remain out. Jake LaRavia (right ankle sprain) is questionable.
- Meanwhile, the Clippers list Bradley Beal (right knee management), Brandon Ingram (right heel surgery), Jordan Miller (left rotator cuff surgery) and Max Strus (right plantar fascia tear) and Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right lisfranc surgery) as out.
You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.
