Los Angeles, CA (My Sportsbook) - The
Los Angeles Lakers will face their Staples Center brethren, the
Los Angeles Clippers, as both teams seek their first win tonight.
The Lakers have dropped a pair of games to open the season, most recently a 102-90 setback at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers. Kobe Bryant led Los Angeles with 25 points and 10 rebounds, but he left the game briefly in the second quarter after twisting his ankle and the Lakers never recovered.
With Shaquille O'Neal on the injured list and Rick Fox serving a six-game suspension, the Lakers are 0-2 to start the season for the first time since 1990-91. Bryant scored 27 points and had 10 rebounds in LA's season-opener, an 87-82 loss against San Antonio on Tuesday.
Trailing by two points after one quarter, Portland pulled away by outscoring the Lakers 39-17 in the second frame. The Lakers led by four early in the quarter, but faltered when Bryant left the game. Trailing 29-27, the Blazers scored 20 straight points over a five-minute span to take a 47-29 lead.
Bryant drained a trey, the Lakers' first field goal in 6 1/2 minutes, but Portland answered with seven straight points to push its lead to 56-34. The Blazers held a 60-40 lead at the break. Blazers held a 60-40 lead at the break.
Bryant got the Lakers back within 18 points, trailing 64-46, early in the third quarter, but Los Angeles did not get any closer in the frame. Portland pushed its lead to 23, at 84-61, going into the final frame.
With the Blazers in cruise control, the Lakers got only as close as 12 in the final quarter.
The Clippers dropped their season-opener 98-96 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Andre Miller scored 15 points and handed out 14 assists in his Clippers' debut. Michael Olowokandi chipped in with 18 points and 13 rebounds for Los Angeles, but missed two jumpers in the closing minute.
The Clippers haven't won a season-opener since 1996.
The Lakers have won 24 of the last 28 meetings between the teams. The Clippers snapped a 10-game series home losing streak with a 95-80 victory back in January. The Lakers have a commanding 115-38 lead in the all-time series.
