Los Angeles will be split tonight as the Clippers face the Lakers in the 2013 NBA Season Opener for both teams. The L.A. Lakers take on the L.A. Clippers and for those who cannot watch the game, check out the radio stream available online for free.
Click here for the free radio stream of the Lakers vs. Clippers.
Do not be fooled by the preseasons both of these teams had. The Lakers, who played a ton of their games at home, (7 of 8) went 4-4 in the season, finishing right behind the Clippers in the standings. Both franchises are going through different stages and this was noticeable in the preseason.
The Lakers are at the end of their dominance. With the rise of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs continuously producing and picking up hidden gems, the Lakers are no longer a fearsome tandem. Kobe Bryant is now reaching the end of his career and he is the heart and soul of that team. Who will take over after Bryant retires? Mike D'Antoni will still be there, but the Lakers do not have a star on the floor that will attract fans to the game.
Meanwhile, the Clippers are on the rise. They are young and possess the guy the Lakers wanted in Chris Paul. As a result of the Lakers' trade for Paul getting rejected by then NBA commissioner, David Stern, the Clippers were able to pick up the star and they have been mowing down the competition. With the emergence of Blake Griffin, on the open floor, the Clippers are unstoppable.
Without a doubt, based on style points, the Clippers own this matchup. There might not be much to look forward to in the Lakers' lineup except watching how they perform after having a full offseason with D'Antoni at the helm. Also, Nick Young is receiving a lot of hype as he will wear the purple and gold for the first time in his career.
The Clippers have fancy dribblers in Paul and Jamal Crawford. DeAndre Jordan and Griffin attack the rim, while JJ Redick and Jared Dudley should knock down plenty of threes from beyond the arc.
Who will take this battle? Check out the radio stream to listen to the live action.
