The Los Angeles Lakers are off to an abysmal 2-8 start. With championship expectations having still three of the top players in the game in Lebron James, Anthony Davis and Russel Westbrook, the Lakers are off to a worse case scenario type of start. Anthony Davis has played more than solid, but not his true dominant self.
He has shown flashes, but hasn’t been able to sustain that level of play over the course of 48 minutes, totaling 4 shots in the second half of a 136-119 loss to the Utah Jazz on November 7. He looks like is about to get hurt a few times out of each game and that may be thinking about it too much.
Lebron James has never been a good three point shooter, but he is shooting a career low 21 percent from three, shooting 44.7 percent which is low for him, and doesn’t look like the same player at all. Father time appears to be catching up, and the Lakers have no room for error.
They are shooting at a low clip for 3, they have terrible spacing, defense is bad, and Russel Westbrook doesn’t fit with Lebron James and Anthony Davis to the point he has accepted his role off the bench and has put up some better numbers off the bench.
The Lakers do not appear to be getting any better and have minimal trade assets with no draft picks, Anthony Davis’ value going with his inability to stay healthy, and Russel Westbrook with not too many teams wanting to take on his expiring contract. It will be a long season in Laker land.
Now the Los Angeles Clippers are the opposite and the same as the Lakers. The Clippers start the season with the most optimism the franchise has ever had going into a season with their superstar Kawhi Leonard back from knee surgery along with Paul George coming back healthy to add to an already deep roster.
The Clippers also acquired John Wall who hasn’t played in a few years and looks fresh quick, and springy as ever, to be that point guard to take away the playmaking responsibilities from Kawhi and George. With one of the most respected young coaches in Ty Lue at the helm the Clippers start the season off with every piece they needed to really make a push towards a championship, but the Clippers curse seems to be lingering around.
Kawhi Leonard started the year on a minutes restriction and has only played in two games this season. John Wall has been in and out of the lineup and the Clippers have started the season a disappointing 6-5.
It’s very early in the season so there is a lot that can develop, but our chances of seeing this dream matchup of a freeway series in the Western Conference finals appears to be as likely as Michael Jordan coming out of retirement for the second time.
