The Lakers faced off against the hometown rival Clippers on the second night of a back to back. Unfortunately, it seemed as if only the Clippers decided to show up.
First Quarter
Normally, I’d start off the breakdown with the recap done quarter by quarter, but thanks to ESPN, I was only able to watch 3/4ths of the game tonight. I really enjoyed the bowl game though.. I’m lying.
Second Quarter
The teams battled back and forth with the Lakers falling behind towards the end of the second. Without Pau, it was obvious that throughout the game the team was trying to force feed Bynum down low, but he wasn’t hitting an amazing percentage, and Kobe was 3-10 or something at the half. With the offensive not clicking, the team turned to defense. But this quarter was marred by repeated defensive breakdowns that led to dunks and layups. Let’s just say nothing was working early.
Third Quarter
The quarter belonged to Kobe who had 13 on an amazing array of post moves, jumpers, and drives to the hoop. The thing that struck me though was how hard Kobe was working for these baskets. Every single shot had a Clipper defender draped on him, which ended up in multiple And-1’s. On Kobe’s back, the team was able to climb back and tie the game at one point, but went into the fourth down 6.
Fourth Quarter
It looked like the Lakers were poised for a great comeback win on their “home” court after racing out to tie the game at 83 early in the fourth. But it wasn’t to be, as the Clippers pushed the ball up the court and literally down the throat of the Lakers defense over and over. Baron Davis was an absolute beast, hitting some clutch shots and creating great opportunities for his teammates. It’s hard to see the Lakers lose games like this, injuries or not. I know it’s the second night of a back to back, but it was basically a home and home- no excuses. I feel like there is some great individual effort, which is evident in the stat sheet, but the collective team push towards a win is currently not on display.
I have to give props to Lamar- regardless of the win or loss. This guy has been coming to play the last few games regardless of his illness. He knows he has to pick it up because Pau has been out due to the hammy, and I love the effort he’s put forth on the glass.
Final Score Lakers 91 – Clippers 102
Box Score
Video Highlights
Note: If you have a compatible Internet Service Provider and would like to watch the game, ESPN is offering the replay for free at the following URL- enjoy!
http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/espn360/index?id=300106012
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