Who:
vs. 
What: Battle Of Los Angeles Part I
When: 10:30 EST / 7:30 PCT PM
Where: Staples Center, presented by
Why:
"The 2012 Hall Of Fame Laker Gods" was the code name for the next Los Angeles dynasty. Suns legend Steve Nash and Magic castaway Dwight Howard linked up with future Hall Of Famers Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol to pursue their never-ending quest of championships, on a mission to becoming the de-facto franchise of the Association. The Lakers were rumored to be invincible, with not a single team standing in the way of an NBA Finals appearance and the birth right to face LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
Then the Clippers happened...
Four straight losses in the regular season, that's what happened. First ever Pacific Division banner for the Clippers, that's what happened. Dwight Howard to the Rockets, that's what happened. For Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and company, Doc Rivers is what's happening now. And for the other team in Los Angeles, a black and bleak rebuilding could be happening next.
First things first, the trap game. The Clippers, under new management, must overcome the Lakers Wall Of Fame. No longer can they allow projected lottery teams to take complete control over their destiny, and their Big Brother is of no exception. Last season, losing three games to the pesky Golden State Warriors by mere underestimation single handedly turned the former bottom feeders into a dark horse juggernaut. But they won't come into Staples Center until Thursday when the freaks come out at night. They can't look down on the Lakers, even if they look bruised and battered. Just one loss to their Big Brother could mean their inevitable return to the playoffs. The Clippers, for the first time in franchise history, have the chance to enter the playoffs as the lone representative of Los Angeles, and if they want that, they must make certain the most storied franchise remain a lottery team.
Can the Clippers make it a Hawaii 5-0? Will the pesky Lakers put Doc Hollywood into a tail spin? And what of the rumors that a Celtic point guard could join forces with their arch nemesis in gaining revenge? Can the new found respect of Charles Barkley provide the Clippers with the strength they sorely need to survive the regular season?
Find out tonight on NBA ON TNT!
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Tonight will also mark the debut of Preventions, my new metric system which will provide users an in-depth analysis on how well the Clippers play defense, from contesting shots without fouling to taking charges; from out-of-bounds deflections to regaining possessions. No more decimals, no more theories. Defense has been numbered!
Preventions for Game 1 will be published following Inside The NBA. Sample articles can be found on my Wordpress account. For more information on Preventions, click here.
