“Clippers are better than the Lakers when Kawhi and Paul George are healthy”

The 2019-20 season was vital for the LA Clippers and the LA Lakers as they lured three of the greatest superstars in the NBA. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George maneuvered their solution to the Clippers whereas Anthony Davis joined the Lakers.

The Battle of LA was purported to develop into a heated rivalry, besides that it has not turned out the approach many anticipated. The Clippers haven’t misplaced to the Lakers in 9 straight regular-season video games. They haven’t conceded a recreation to their Crypto.com Arena co-tenants since December 2020.

Following a pulsating win by the LA Clippers over the Charlotte Hornets, Skip Bayless promptly tweeted this:

“QUICK ASIDE: Kawhi, in his return at Charlotte, just hit the clutch game-winner, a long 2-point jumper, swished. Clippers are better than the Lakers when Kawhi and Paul George are healthy … which (I know) hasn’t been that often.”

The LA Lakers, behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, gained the NBA championship in 2020. It was AD’s first season in LA and arguably the final time he was wholesome for nearly a whole 12 months. The purple and gold franchise are 81-41 when each James and Davis are accessible.

The LA Clippers, on the different hand, have been all about potential and guarantees. They’ve at all times been derailed by accidents to both Kawhi Leonard or Paul George, typically each at the similar time. The farthest they’ve reached as a duo was in 2020-21 when they appeared in the Western Conference Finals.

Leonard’s damage in the 2021 Conference Finals in opposition to the Phoenix Suns might have price the Clippers their first NBA Finals look.

When wholesome, they’ve confirmed to be a tricky matchup for anybody. The Clippers personal a staggering 63-22 report when Leonard and George are accessible. They’ve additionally been fairly adept in adjusting to life with out their oft-injured superstars.

Without Kawhi Leonard for the whole 2021-22 season and Paul George taking part in simply 31 video games, the Clippers nonetheless owned a better report than the LA Lakers. Ty Lue’s crew even had the probability to play in the play-in match however misplaced to the New Orleans Pelicans with out Covid-stricken George.

If delivering a championship constitutes “better,” then the LA Lakers have already confirmed it. The Clippers have been nice when George and Leonard can play. They better hope each can keep wholesome for the remainder of the season.

The LA Clippers and LA Lakers may very well be trending in the wrong way

Several basketball analysts equivalent to Charles Barkley and Kendrick Perkins picked the LA Clippers to win the championship this season. They’re at the moment sixth in the West regardless of getting solely six video games from Kawhi Leonard, together with final evening’s excellent efficiency in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets.

Meanwhile, the LA Lakers have been purported to miss the playoffs but once more this season. Their current surge in kind, nonetheless, may see them push for a postseason spot. Anthony Davis is lastly wholesome whereas LeBron James has managed to maintain Father Time at bay.

The Lakers, who had a 2-10 report final November 11, are now 8-2 of their final 10 video games, mountain climbing their win-loss slate to 10-12. And for the first time in two seasons, they appear like a reputable playoff crew.

The LA Clippers, in the meantime, are nonetheless desperately hoping they’ll have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George wholesome. They’re an extremely troublesome crew to beat when they’re each accessible, which has hardly ever been the case in 4 years.