Clippers or Lakers?
Which one of these L.A. teams is going to be the best this year? I know these two teams have been sharing the Staples Center in Los Angeles and I’m not sure if they will have to do that again this year or not. For two NBA teams to share a building like that is amazing and it takes a lot of careful planning by the NBA and the folks in LA. I’m sure they had to be as skilled as a Los Angeles plastic suregeon to pull that monumental task off.
Kobe Bryant is my favorite player, so I would probably give the edge to the Lakers. They also have a good point guard they drafted from Georgia Tech in Javaritis Creighton. I think he will make a difference and help the Lakers to advance deep in the playoffs this year. Trading Kobe might still be needed if this team can get enough draft picks and young players for him; so the Lakers could rebuild. You really can’t rebuild in a city like Los Angeles, but I’m not sure how much more they can expect Kobe to do everything by his self.
The Clippers need to stay healthy is their big thing. Keeping guys like Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston will be key for that team. They should be a fun team to watch this year, but they need to have everyone healthy to compete for a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference of the NBA. I see the Clippers winning 40 games, but you have to be real close to that 50 mark to get into the playoffs. The Clippers might need a mid-season trade or acquisition to help boost them.
So which L.A. team do you pick to have a better season? Can the Los Angeles teams win 100 games this year in the NBA? If these two teams combine for 100 wins, you can be sure that the Staples Center will be a very popular place when the post-season comes around in 2008.
