The second place Clippers and the last place Lakers are still trying to find their identity. A fourth of the season has come and gone and if the playoffs started today the Clippers would be the fifth-seeded team in the Western Conference and the Lakers would be on vacation.
The Lakers take on a red-hot Oklahoma City team on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Staples Center and the Clippers face Milwaukee on Saturday at 7:30 at the Staples Center.
The Lakers are trying different lineups to try to win more games and the Clippers are just trying to keep pace with the elite teams in the Western Conference. “We have to stay focused for forty-eight minutes,” said Laker coach Byron Scott last week. “I am going to ride the new starting lineup for ten to fifteen games and see how it goes.”
The Clippers are trying to continue to play at a high level.
“It’s a sign of a good team when you don’t play well and you still win,” said Clipper’s coach Doc Rivers.
“We are learning how to close out games and keep our mental focus even when we don’t play our best,” said DeAndre Jordan. “That’s the biggest difference from the last few years.”
