Los Angeles, CA (My Sportsbook) - The
Los Angeles Lakers could be without star center Shaquille O'Neal this evening when they battle their Staples Center housemates, the Clippers. The Lakers will be the visitors for tonight's affair.
O'Neal strained his right calf in the second quarter of Friday's 111-109 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics. He received treatment on the injury on Saturday, but is questionable for tonight's tilt.
The Lakers are already without the services of future Hall of Fame forward Karl Malone, who has missed the last five games and is expected to miss at least another week with a sprained knee.
In Friday's setback, Kobe Bryant scored 32 points, as LA suffered its third loss in four games. Gary Payton delivered 24 points in his return to Seattle for the Lakers, who rallied from a 98-89 deficit down the stretch.
Bryant sparked the comeback with eight points to highlight an 11-2 run, including two foul shots with 4:13 to go, to forge a 100-100 tie.
A jumper by Ray Allen with 1:48 to go opened a 106-102 edge for Seattle. However, Bryant hit a three-pointer and Payton hit a foul shot to pull the Lakers even at 106-106 with 1:11 to go.
Allen and Bryant traded three-pointers to force a 109-109 tie with 22.9 seconds to play. Then Allen won the game, converting a driving layup through two defenders with 5.8 seconds remaining.
The Lakers, who will be playing the second leg of a four-game road trip, have lost three straight on the road and are 6-6 away from home this season.
The Clippers, meanwhile, come into tonight's game on a losing note after falling to the Sacramento Kings, 116-109, on Saturday.
Predrag Drobnjak had a season-high 22 points for the Clippers, who have dropped three of their last four contests. Quentin Richardson and Corey Maggette each scored 21 points in the setback.
The Clips have won six of their last eight at home and are 10-7 at home this season.
The Lakers boast a 23-2 record against the Clippers in the last 25 meetings, including a four-game sweep of last season's series.
