In Los Angeles two teams will square off tonight in a highly-anticipated matchup as the Lakers will dress in their visiting uniforms to take on the red-hot Clippers.
With all the excitement the Clippers bring to a game, the Lakers Kobe Bryant is very complimentary of his Staples Center neighbors saying not only does he believe that Jamal Crawford should be named Sixth Man of the Year, but that the Clippers have a legitimate chance to make a title run.
"Oh, for sure. For sure," Bryant said after practice Thursday when asked if the 25-8 Clippers have legitimate shot at the title. "They're definitely one of the top contenders."
Bryant later commented on how this current Clippers team reminds him of the Showtime Lakers.
"They're very spectacular and fun to watch," he said. "There's no question about it. They have higher jumpers than Showtime."
However, the Lakers Pau Gasol, who once referred to the Clippers as "the neighbors", is not too keen on making that comparison just yet.
"I think that's a little over the top right now at this point," Gasol said.
In Friday's matchup both teams will be looking to pull out a win as both are currently coming off of some loses. The Lakers have dropped two of their last three games, while the Clippers have cooled a bit, losing on the road to the Denver Nuggets and the Golden State Warriors on the heels of their 17-game win streak.
This will be the first game of a brutal five-game Western Conference stretch for the Lakers. After they face the Clippers, the Lakers will have home against Denver, a road back-to-back against the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs, and finally a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
"It's a big stretch for us," Bryant said. "We got to turn things around. At this stage of the year going against some of these top teams, it's a tough stretch but it's a chance to see what we're made of."
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