<div align="center"></div> One city, two teams. It used to be the Lakers that always had the upper hand against the Clippers. But obviously times have changed. The Clippers now boast one of the best young forwards in the league in Elton Brand, and a very deep supporting cast in guys like Corey Maggette, Cuttino Mobley, and veteran Sam Cassel. Last season, the Clippers finished with a better record than the Lakers, and gained a higher seed. It was obvious that last year; the city of Los Angeles belonged to the Clippers. This season though, after the draft and free agency process, I'd say both teams are pretty much equal. Realistically, they will both most likely be competing for the 2nd place in the Pacific Division, and they will most likely be competing for the 4-6 spots in the west. Both teams haven't really made any drastic roster changes, but have gained a lot of chemistry throughout the past season. To see how the teams match up, I'll break down the positions: PG- The Lakers have definitely found a diamond in the rough picking Jordan Farmar with a late first round pick. Farmar has dazzled his way through the summer leagues, training camp, and is playing like a shining star in the pre-season. Last season, Smush Parker came out of nowhere to become the starting point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. Smush, who has definitely had his share of criticism from the Laker fans, may have been the forgotten savior of the Lakers 05-06 season. After all, without Smush starting for us, who will? Aaron McKie?? To make matters even better for the Lakers, Smush has gained a lot of muscle this off-season, and has really been working on improving his game. Plus, a year of experience under the triangle offense definetly helps. But, good as Farmar may be heading into his rookie season, and as much as Smush may have improved coming into the season, the edge should definetly go to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers have Sam Cassel, who although has lost a step, is a true veteran leader that can hit shots from anywhere down the court, and is never shy in the clutch. If at his best, Cassel can still be one of the top PGs in the game. Backing up Sam Cassel, we have Shaun Livingston, who has all the potential in the world. The guy is the dream point guard for the triangle, being 6-7, and with a game that slightly resembles that of the great Magic Johnson. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Livingston?s locker room is on the other side of the Staples Center. The Cassel and Livingston duo that the Clippers possess may be one of the best point guard combos in the league. Advantage Clippers SG- The Clippers have veteran Cuttino Mobley and young defensive specialist Quinton Ross at the SG position. The Lakers? Well, does he really need any introduction? The Lakers have arguably the best player in the game today, and one of the most unstoppable forces in the game today, in Kobe Bryant. Kobe possesses the instinct and the skill to take over at any minute and any time of any game. After all, just ask those Dallas Mavericks of whom Kobe effortlessly scored 62 points in 3 quarters, single handily outscoring the entire Dallas squad in the 3 quarters. Or, you can ask the Toronto Raptors, of whom Kobe scored 81 points against in a huge comeback win. There really isn?t a contest here, and I don?t really need to go on. Advantage Lakers SF- The Clippers have recently signed Tim Thomas in free agency this off season. Being a Laker fan, I am nothing shy of Tim Thomas, who hit the clutch three to tie up game 6 of the NBA Playoffs, killing my very own Lakers chances of advancing to the second round. Although Thomas was a great offensive weapon with the Suns, who isn't? Everyone plays terrifically under the run and gun style of offense the Suns have, and obviously everyone plays well under the MVP Steve Nash. Plus, Thomas was in his contract year, and was obviously trying to cash in. I don't expect much from Thomas this season; the guy has always been known to be lazy, and inconsistent. With the huge contract he signed with the Clippers, who could expect otherwise? But, disregarding Tim Thomas, the Clippers have one of the most athletic players in the league in Corey Maggette. The guy is a terrific offensive weapon, and can get to the free throw line at will. When healthy, Maggette is a terrific forward who at times can be unstoppable. The Lakers on the other side have one of the most versatile players in the league in Lamar Odom. Odom has all the potential in the world. The guy has the potential to be one of the best players in the NBA. But will he reach his full potential? That remains to be seen. Odom at times has shown flashes of what he can become, only to have a horrible performance right after. But, last season, after gaining more experience with the triangle, Odom has shown how he can really shine. With his experience in the triangle, Odom can be huge for us this season. He can rebound, pass, and score. Although many have criticized his lack of scoring in the past, if Odom can shoot a good percentage from the free throw line, he could have easily averaged 20 points per game last season. The Lakers also have Luke Walton, who was probably the most improved Laker last season. The guy plays at ease with the triangle, and is a terrific passer and playmaker. He also finally found his go to shot in the latter part of the 05-06 NBA season. The Lakers have also recently acquired forward Maurice Evans from the Pistons on draft day for Cheik Samb, a second round pick. Maurice has been nothing short of a fan favorite in his short stay in purple and gold. Evans can back up Kobe, and he can also see time at the SF position. Evans is extremely athletic, and is mostly credited for his defense, although his offense isn't too shabby either. Evans is a great hustler, and will most likely be a leader for the Lakers second team. Advantage Lakers PF- The Lakers recently signed Vladimir Radmanovic this off season with the MLE. Vladimir was brought in because of his terrific three point shooting capabilities. The guy is lights out when hot, but he is also said to be very inconsistent. Vladimir, though never credited for his defense, has actually been getting praise from the Laker staff in training camp. Either way, when Kobe is double teamed, expect him to kick it out to Vladimir, who will be all money with his long range shot. At the power forward position, the Lakers also have another terrific shooter in Brian Cook, who is probably one of the best big man shooters in the league. But the knock against Cook? Well, that would be his defense. Unless Cook starts playing better D, he will only see limited amounts of time on the court this season, being mostly used in short stretches of the game to give the Lakers an offensive boost. Ronny Turiaf is another power forward on the Lakers roster. I?m sure nobody will need any introduction to Ronny Turiaf, who had open heart surgery last season and wasn?t expected to be back on court for at least a year, or maybe ever. Instead, it only took him a couple of months to get back on court, and when he was back on the court, he showed us all how much he loved basketball. He hustled, rebounded, and did every little thing to help us win. Expect the same from him this season, and even more. Although the Lakers may be very deep at forward spot, the Clippers have one of the best players in the game in Elton Brand. Brand, although undersized, plays like he is 7 feet tall. Brand can score just about any way he wants. He has terrific post moves, and he can mix it up by hitting a nice little jumper from anywhere around the court. Brand is a headache for all defenses, and just like his offense, Brand also excels tremendously in defense. The guy is a fierce rebounder, averaging 10 a game last season. You put that all together, and realize he is only 26 years old; the Clippers have a building piece for their franchise for years to come. Brand alone gives the Clippers the advantage. Advantage Clippers C- For the center position, the Lakers have former #1 pick by the Washington Wizards, Kwame Brown. Kwame, as we all know, has been widely regarded as a bust. Although Kwame may never live up to his #1 overall pick status, the guy can still ball. What Kwame really needed was a change of scenery, and some good coaching to get the young man on track. And that is exactly what Kwame got, getting traded to the Lakers and getting a chance to be coached by Laker great Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Last season, Kwame started off slow, but as the games went by, Kwame got more familiar with the triangle, and in the last 15 or so games of the season, played the best basketball of his career. Kwame is another player on the Lakers with huge amounts of potential. The guy is built like a rock, and is one of the fastest big man in the league. All he needs is to work hard and get his head in the right direction. With the right coaching, I?m sure Kwame will be even better this season. Backing up Kwame the Lakers have Chris Mihm, picked 7th overall in the 2000 NBA Draft. Mihm, regarded by some, is another bust. Just like Kwame, he may never live up to his draft status, but he still is a serviceable player. The guy rebounds the ball and will give you a couple of blocks here and there. He also has a nice little baby hook that he loves to use around the rim. The only knock against Chris is his consistency (like most Laker players), and his knack of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, which has given him many unneeded fouls. Another knock against Chris may be his ability to stay healthy. The Lakers also have young center Andrew Bynum, who was picked 10th overall in last years NBA draft. Bynum isn?t expected to contribute much this season, but being only 18 years old means he still has tons of room to grow For the Los Angeles Clippers, they have one of NBA?s top 15 centers in Chris Kaman. Kaman really broke out last season, averaging close to a double with 9.6 rebounds per game and 12 points per game, along with 1 block per game. Kaman is also another one of the Clippers young protegees. Being at only a young age of 24, Kaman?s best basketball is still ahead of him, and expect him to remain at the top next season. The Clippers also have this year?s 2nd round draft pick Paul Davis backing him up. Although Kaman is a terrific player, the Lakers depth makes this equal. Advantage None Coaching- Mike Dunleavy has really gave a sorry Clippers squad a complete 180 degrees turnaround. Once the laughingstock of the NBA, the Clippers came within one game of reaching the Western Conference. In each of the three seasons Dunleavy has coached the Clippers, the Clippers have always reached a better record in each of the following seasons. If this trend continues, expect the Clippers to be a very dangerous team in the West. Although Dunleavy is a very good, and very well respected coach around the league, the Los Angeles Lakers have Phil Jackson. Ever heard of him? Phil Jackson is the man that guided the Lakers to three NBA titles in his first stint as their head coach from 1999-2004, and guided the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in his nine years as head coach from 1989-1998. Last season, Phil Jackson lead the Lakers to a 9 game improvement (which landed them the 7th seed in the west), and almost pulled off an upset against the #2 seeded Phoenix Suns. I'm sorry, but as good of a coach Mike Dunleavy is, Phil Jackson is simply just one of the best in the game. Advantage Lakers As you can see from the rankings, the Lakers have gotten a slight edge over the Clippers. But, rankings don't judge everything. In order to see which team should really be crowned the king of Los Angeles, they will have to battle it out on the court for 82 grueling games. Whoever the crowned winner will be, it is obvious that the Lakers and the Clippers have finally gotten a rivalry that both fans can be excited about.
Good topic. My stepdad trys to say how the clippers had one good season and now its their city. And i get pissed off because the lakers have won titles here and made it home while the clippers just started.Clippers will need around 15 titles to be considered Los angeles's team and also the staples center has no lakers jerseys.
Clippers will never be the face of Los Angeles. Lakers have resided in LA longer, 8 championships in that town, and many hall of famers. Clippers have alot to make up to win the battle for LA.
Great read. Ok ok, I guess its time to provide an opposing point of view. The Lakers are L.A.'s team, no doubt about that. However, the Clippers are the best team in LA, not much doubt about that either. The clipps are one of the most well rounded teams in the league. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">they will both most likely be competing for the 2nd place in the Pacific Division, and they will most likely be competing for the 4-6 spots in the west.</div> Whats that quote all about? The Lakers are just trying to make the playoffs. I love how people love to try to forget about the Kings. The Clippers are competing for the 1st spot in the pacific with the Suns. The Kings are right behind the Clippers trying to bump whoever doesnt get 1st in the pacific down to 3rd in the pacific. Then theres the Lakers who are trying to get into the playoffs. Anyhow, I almost didnt want to make this post because I didnt want to get off subject from a quality post. Good stuff.
<div class="quote_poster">GiantMidget Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Great read. Ok ok, I guess its time to provide an opposing point of view. The Lakers are L.A.'s team, no doubt about that. However, the Clippers are the best team in LA, not much doubt about that either. The clipps are one of the most well rounded teams in the league. Whats that quote all about? The Lakers are just trying to make the playoffs. I love how people love to try to forget about the Kings. The Clippers are competing for the 1st spot in the pacific with the Suns. The Kings are right behind the Clippers trying to bump whoever doesnt get 1st in the pacific down to 3rd in the pacific. Then theres the Lakers who are trying to get into the playoffs. Anyhow, I almost didnt want to make this post because I didnt want to get off subject from a quality post. Good stuff.</div> From what I remember last year, the Kings had a harder time making the playoffs last year than the Lakers. And with the loss of some key figures, I don't see how this season will benefit them all that much.
<div class="quote_poster">GiantMidget Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Whats that quote all about? The Lakers are just trying to make the playoffs. I love how people love to try to forget about the Kings. The Clippers are competing for the 1st spot in the pacific with the Suns. The Kings are right behind the Clippers trying to bump whoever doesnt get 1st in the pacific down to 3rd in the pacific. Then theres the Lakers who are trying to get into the playoffs. Anyhow, I almost didnt want to make this post because I didnt want to get off subject from a quality post. Good stuff.</div> Good points, but IMO, the Suns will finish the season on top of the division, and the Lakers and Clippers will be battling it out for the 2nd spot. I just don't think the Kings will do so hot this season. They've hired a new coach in Eric Mussleman and lost a key player in Bonzi Wells. I'm not saying that the Kings will be completely out of it, but I just feel that they have been through too many changes and may need some time to adjust. Btw, the article I wrote wasn't about which team will represent Los Angeles as a city. I wrote it to see which team has the better talent and who can go further and etc.
<div class="quote_poster">CLos Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah Chris Kaman is WAY BETTER than Kwame. Hands down.</div> yeah he is... but is kaman better than kwame, mihm and bynum?
Well, yeah I would say that. I mean Bynum hasn't developed yet and Chris Mihm is well Mihm. I would say yeah.
<div class="quote_poster">CLos Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Well, yeah I would say that. I mean Bynum hasn't developed yet and Chris Mihm is well Mihm. I would say yeah.</div> Have you seen Bynum play at all last night? He has been playing like this since pre-season, and if he continues, he can very well take Kwame's starting spot. Mihm, when healthy, is a top 15 center in the league. I think that our depth gives us the advantage over the Clippers.
<div class="quote_poster">CLos Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">It doesn't matter. Chris Kaman is better than any Center that the Lakers have. Hands down!</div> Do you read? I know Chris Kaman is better than any center on the Laker's squad, but I'm not judging the positions individually. I'm judging them as a group. With that being said, the Laker's depth at center gives them the advantage
Get off the Bynum's nuts Brian, it was one hell of a game, yes, but he won't produce like that all year. Kwame Brown is good for 12 and 8 at best, more than likely, 10 and 7. Mihm won't be effective this year, his ankle injury is bad. Kaman is on the verge of being a top center in the league, none of our centers are there yet.
<div class="quote_poster">TheBlackMamba Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Get off the Bynum's nuts Brian, it was one hell of a game, yes, but he won't produce like that all year. Kwame Brown is good for 12 and 8 at best, more than likely, 10 and 7. Mihm won't be effective this year, his ankle injury is bad. Kaman is on the verge of being a top center in the league, none of our centers are there yet.</div> I know that Bynum will most likely not put up that these types of numbers all season long, but IMO, he should still be fairly effective. Nobody knows how well Chris Mihm will produce this season. He is injured now, but nobody knows when he will fully heal. If Mihm gets healthy, and plays like he did last season, we should be really deep at the center spot. Kwame Brown, like you said, may average 10 and 7 per game this season, but if you look, Kaman's numbers aren't that much better. He averaged 12 and 9 last season. Those are pretty good numbers for a center, but I feel that our overall depth should give us the advantage. After all, who is backing up Chris Kaman? Zeljko Rebraca?
Chris Kaman is going to have a breakout year. He will most likely avg. 16/10 this season or more. Mihm is avg. at best and Kwame's a bust. Enuff said. Bynum is good but still unproven. Clippers win. Hands down!
