RealGM

Posted: **Wed Dec 8, 2010 8:06 pm**

December 8, 2010
7:30 Pacific Time

Location:

Starting Lineups:

Key Reserves:

Killa B's

B. Diddy , Gomez, and Smith

Game notes:

Following four consecutive losses, the Los Angeles Lakers have beaten two of the league’s lightweights to get back on track heading into a seven-game road trip.

Their first stop won’t take them far.

The Lakers will be visitors Wednesday night at Staples Center as one of the NBA’s most imposing front lines gets its first look at star rookie Blake Griffin and the suddenly improving Clippers.

The Lakers (15-6) didn’t crack triple digits during their longest skid since April 2007, but Kobe Bryant and his teammates picked it up offensively to stop their slide. The Lakers shot 56.6 percent in a 113-80 win over Sacramento on Friday, then Bryant, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol combined for 77 points in a 115-108 victory against Washington on Tuesday.

It wasn’t all easy, however. The Lakers let the Wizards get within three after leading by as many as 19.

“When we focus, we’ve been really good this year,” Gasol said. “But when we lose that focus, teams have been able to sneak up on us and give us trouble.”

Blown lead or not, Gasol’s performance should have the Lakers riding high. He finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks - the type of dominant performance he was routinely turning in during the team’s 13-2 start.

He’d averaged just 14.6 points in the past five games while dealing with a strained hamstring and complaining of fatigue.

The Lakers won’t get a whole lot of rest during a seven-game trip over 12 days, but they are expected to welcome injured center Andrew Bynum back during it.

That’s good news for Gasol and Odom and bad news for opponents, who have watched the Lakers score 47.0 points per game in the paint - second-best in the league.

Just a half-point behind the Lakers’ paint production are the Clippers (5-17), who have Griffin largely to thank for their surprising interior effectiveness.

The No. 1 pick of the 2009 draft was supposed to make his NBA debut against the Lakers in October 2009, but Griffin’s arrival - and eventually his entire season - was wiped out because of a fractured left kneecap.

Considering he’s averaged 25.6 points and 13.6 rebounds while posting nine consecutive double-doubles Griffin appears to be fully recovered. With 15 double-doubles, he’s one behind Gasol and Minnesota’s Kevin Love for the NBA lead.

Griffin’s surge has turned the Clippers from the league’s worst team into one that looks capable of playing with anyone. They’re 4-4 in their last eight games after a 98-91 win over Sacramento on Monday, their fourth victory in five home games.

“Are we where we need to be? Of course not. Am I happy where we’re at? No,” first-year coach Vinny Del Negro told the team’s official website. “But I am optimistic in the sense of where we are mentally, where we are confidence-wise, and how hard the guys are working.”

The Clippers, however, will be short-handed Wednesday. Two games after returning from a left ankle sprain that cost him 11 games, center Chris Kamanreinjured the ankle Sunday and could be out for another extended period.

Former Laker Brian Cook, meanwhile, is serving the second of a two-game suspension for his altercation with Portland’s Andre Miller, while guard Baron Davisis a game-time decision with a hamstring injury.

The teams split four meetings last season, with each team winning as the home team.

The Clippers are 1-10 when Eric Gordon scores fewer than 27 points. He’s averaged 14.0 in seven career games versus the Lakers.

Posted: **Wed Dec 8, 2010 8:22 pm**

great GT! go lakers!

Posted: **Wed Dec 8, 2010 8:52 pm**

Let's keep it rolling tonight. Don't let the little bros win this one.

Posted: **Wed Dec 8, 2010 9:51 pm**

**** an away game, im nervous.

the new motto: Win

great GT

Posted: **Wed Dec 8, 2010 11:12 pm**

Should be a good game. Interested in seeing if Lamar can hold Griffin's rebounding down.

Pau should get Jordan into foul trouble pretty quickly and now that Kaman is out still we should have a good size advantage.

I've turned into a Bledsoe fan so hopefully Fisher can stay in front of him, force him to shoot from the outside where he's been pretty cold.

Gordon is turning into a legit go-to guy.

Craig Smith better not score more than his average tonight.

A house divided.

Go Lakers!

Posted: **Wed Dec 8, 2010 11:33 pm**

Nice GT Kali

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 12:16 am**

Man I wish I could be in LA for this game, Griffin is legit.

I got a chance to watch the Clips practice the other day, and I think I can say why they aren't good, it was disorganized and lax as hell although I think it was pretty informal considering it was at the hotel gym lol. But still though it seemed like the entire time the team was mostly on its own half assing half court sets and then the rest of the staff was either playing against themselves or focusing only on Griffin.

But, my god, Griffin's calves are bigger then my thighs, and my thighs are pretty big lol. Not to be weird or anything but usually jumper's are lean with skinny legs...

Dunno if you can see well enough in those, but man, the dude is a monster.

Griffin vs Brown dunk off pls...

Anyway, back to the game. Should be a fun one to watch. I am interested to see if Kobe can continue his current hot streak, Gordon defends him as well as anyone lately. Gordon is a quick cat and strong for a smaller guy.

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 2:38 am**

Hello all ,

The Clippers' starting line-up for about 90% of this season has been as follows...

PG. Eric Bledsoe ( Rookie )
SG. Eric Gordon ( 3rd year, 24.3 ppg and top ten league scorer )
SF. Al-furouq Aminu ( Rookie )
PF. Blake Griffin ( Rookie 20.6 ppg & 11.6 rbs on 53% on the season )
C. DeAndre Jordan ( 3rd year )

So an all Rookie ( basically ) line-up leading the charge.. They have been in every game but always seem to make rookie mistakes ; tunovers , giving up 3's and not executing.

They have Beaten the Spurs,OKC, and Hornets , and seem to get up for top tier teams.
Baron Davis and Chris Kaman have missed like 85 % of their games so far .. Don't forget that back-up pg Randy Foye will also be out..

Good Hunting gentlemen...

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 2:41 am**

Lakers.

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 3:43 am**

These road arenas are so empty

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 3:46 am**

nice start so far wow!

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 3:47 am**

Blake Griffin is a freak of nature

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 3:54 am**

Hunter103 wrote:These road arenas are so empty

The 10, 101, 405, and the 60 freeways are all jammed up. LoL

Thank You to everyone for the game thread shoutout !

Exciting game and records are meaningless.
The Clippers are gonna give us a fight.
Blake is a Man Child!

Lakers can't get complacent like last night, gotta keep the foot on the gas pedal.

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 3:59 am**

Lamar got two fouls and so does Blake .

I would like to see Phil put in D.C to go up against Craig Smith.

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 4:14 am**

wtf is Shannon doing.

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 4:24 am**

Who's out for the night?

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 4:27 am**

Hunter103 wrote:Who's out for the night?

DC

and ewwwww Luke, wtf was that.

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 4:28 am**

Craig Smith and Rasual Butler are two players I'd gladly take on our bench.

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 4:28 am**

there goes bynum, caracter, and ratliff.
thinking of d league call up maybe? D:

odom and gasol are our only bigs
honestly at this point, just get artest the minutes that hes losing, at the 4..

Posted: **Thu Dec 9, 2010 4:30 am**

Another injury as a result of someone falling into somebody's knee.

RealGM

12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)

Re: 12/8 LAL (15-6) VS LAC (5-17)