| New Basketball Kings Of LA? Authored by Scott Essman - November 19, 2005 - 12:41 pm
In the spring of 1992, in the midst of the Los Angeles riots after the first Rodney King beating verdict, the Lakers and the Clippers both sweaked into a first-round NBA playoff series. While the Lakers, impotent in their first playoffs without Magic Johnson since 1979, lost to Portland 3 games to 1, the Clippers squared off against the Utah Jazz.
Pushing the series (which had to be relocated from the L.A. Sports Arena to Anaheim due to riots aftermath) to five games, the Clippers played stellar basketball for three-and-a-half quarters. It appeared as though they might break the nascent Jazz and win, superceding the Lakers' achievement for the first time. Alas, it was not to be as John Stockton and Karl Malone proved too much for the Clipper corps. Yet that team, loaded with Danny Manning, Ken Norman, Charles Smith, James Edwards, Doc Rivers, Gary Grant, and Loy Vaught was quite possibly superior to the Laker team of Sedale Threatt, James Worthy, A.C. Green, Vlade Divac, Anthony Peeler, Byron Scott, Sam Perkins, Elden Campbell and Doug Christie.
Since then, the Clippers have played second fiddle to the Lakers' first violin in LA for over a decade, always succumbing to the combination of poor ownership, bad player personnel decisions, and the Lakers' sheer will to win at all costs. Until now.
Last night, at Staples Center, the Clippers, though the "away" team in their own home (a phrase with two meanings), proved that their talent pool is at least equal to if not better than the Lakers, especially in areas of depth. The "visiting" Clippers beat the Lakers 97-91, though the Lakers had their typical 36 points from guard Kobe Bryant and at least 10 points from forward Lamar Odom, guard Smush Parker and center Chris Mihm. Alas, the Clippers realized a more balanced attack.
Clipper leader, forward Elton Brand, dropped in 23 points and a whopping 14 rebounds, leading his team in both categories. Guard-forward Corey Maggette followed with 21 points, and shooting guard Cuttino Mobley contributed 20 additional points. Center Chris Kaman added 10 points and 11 rebounds, and guard Sam Cassell added 17 more points. In comparison, aside from their top four, the Lakers hardly had any scoring or rebound help. One certain Laker concern must be center-forward Kwame Brown, who played just 26 minutes, and failing to make one field goal, though he did get eight total rebounds.
Should this trend continue, with the Clippers providing necessary role players and sharing all scoring amongst themselves, the Lakers - who have struggled to find ways to win thus far - might take a back seat to their Staples rivals this season. It would be the first time that has occurred since the two have shared Los Angeles, now exactly two decades in the making. |
