By Andrew Georgy
At the time of writing this article, the Los Angeles Lakers are 8-4 and the Los Angeles Clippers are 3-9.
Lebron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Bradley Beal; all the aforementioned stars are a part of the two LA basketball teams’ “Big Three”, the first three being from the Los Angeles Lakers and the second being from the Los Angeles Clippers, respectively. Despite the star players on both teams, they have struggled in the jam-packed Western Conference. While both teams were expected to finish at the top, the Lakers are currently 7th, while the Clippers are 14th. What’s the cause, and will they remain struggling until the end of the season?
Injuries
Both teams have had multiple stars injured. Recently, Bradley Beal, a recent acquisition by the Clippers in this year’s free agency, suffered a season-ending hip injury, while Luka Doncic suffered a sprained finger and a lower left contusion that kept him out in late October. Lebron James has been out with sciatica for almost a month as well, although he is expected to return soon.
Controversies
A huge accusation was brought against the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard during the summer by Pablo Torre, a sports journalist, claiming that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer had used unlawful means to circumvent the National Basketball Association (NBA) salary cap to convince Kawhi Leonard to sign with the Clippers after leaving the Toronto Raptors in free agency in 2019. While no punishment has been implemented (yet) by the NBA, the scandal has loomed over the franchise since the season began, with some fans calling for the removal of the Clippers’ first-round picks and the voiding of Kawhi Leonard’s contract.
As for the Lakers, they have been forced to hand over some players’ phones due to a league-wide investigation into possible illegal gambling, which, while less severe, may have also had an impact in the locker room.
New signings
Both the Clippers and the Lakers made moves in this year’s free agent market through trades and signings. For example, the Lakers signed Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, while the Clippers added Brook Lopez and Bradley Beal on team-friendly contracts and acquired John Collins through a three-team trade.
These new signings have certainly strengthened both teams; however, it has taken some time for the players to get acquainted with their respective coaches and teammates. For example, Lopez is averaging his worst field goal percentage of his career, while Smart is averaging his worst 3-point percentage in over 10 seasons.
So, what’s in the future?
For the Lakers, their slower start is probably not a big deal. Their defense has been struggling without LeBron James, and yet they’re still only two games away from being the fourth seed. With him returning soon, their record is likely to improve dramatically. The Lakers have also had a moderately tough schedule, so it should be only downhill from here!
The Clippers are in a bit tougher situation. While they certainly have the opportunity to surprise everyone and become a top-6 seed, their struggles don’t have an end in sight; Bradley Beal is out until the rest of the season, they’ve had an easy schedule and yet have won only three games, and their depth (their biggest strength) is playing poorly. It might be a rough season for the Clips.
