The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers play in the same city, one synonymous with basketball, and are among the top six seeds in the Western Conference this season (the Lakers are fourth, and the Clippers are sixth).
The two teams will square off twice in the ensuing days (Feb. 28 and March 2) in what will be their final regular-season matchups of the 2024-25 season and Luka Dončić’s first game against the Clippers as a member of the Lakers.
The two squads split the first two meetings earlier this season.
But is this a real NBA rivalry?
Here’s what the numbers say about the “Battle of L.A.”:
0: While they’ve laced up against each other 241 times, the Lakers and the Clippers have never played each other in the postseason. Zero also represents the number of championships the Clippers have won.
2: Both teams have Hall of Famer Jerry West in common. The 12-time All-NBA honoree, who played his entire 14-year career with the Lakers — highlighted by winning the 1972 NBA Finals — was a consultant for the Clippers from 2017-24.
3: Since the Lakers moved to Los Angeles from Minneapolis in 1960, the Clippers franchise has played in three cities with three different names: Buffalo Braves (1970-78), San Diego Clippers (1978-84) and LA Clippers (1984-present).
4: Prior to winning back-to-back games against the Clippers last season, the Lakers hadn’t won back-to-back games vs. the Clippers in four years (2019-20 season). Before the 2019-20 season, the Lakers last won consecutive games against the Clippers in the 2011-12 season.
8: Since LeBron James joined the Lakers in 2018, they are 8-17 against the Clippers. Of course, the Lakers did win the 2020 NBA Finals with James.
11: The Clippers ripped off a pair of 11-game winning streaks against the Lakers, first doing so from January 2014 to April 2016 and then again from December 2020 to April 2023.
12: The number of miles that separate Crypto.com Arena, home of the Lakers, from the Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers. Twelve also represents the number of times the two teams have played each other in overtime.
17: The number of NBA championships the Lakers have won, which is second in league history.
23.6: Since joining the Clippers in 2019, Kawhi Leonard has averaged 23.6 points per game in the 16 appearances that he has made against the Lakers.
25: The Lakers and the Clippers each played their respective home games at Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) from the 1999-2000 season through the 2023-24 season (25 years); the Clippers are in their first season playing their home games at the Intuit Dome.
Are the Los Angeles Lakers still LeBron James’ team?
26.4: In the 19 games that James has played against the Clippers since joining the Lakers, he has averaged 26.4 PPG.
38: Since the 2012-13 season, the Clippers have won 38 of 49 matchups against the Lakers.
68: The number of players who have suited up for both the Lakers and the Clippers, a list which includes Russell Westbrook, Bob McAdoo, DeAndre Jordan and Lamar Odom, among others.
108: Since the Clippers moved to Los Angeles in 1984, the Lakers are 108-67 against them.
154: Of the 241 times they’ve faced off, the Lakers have been victorious 154 times, boasting a 154-87 record.
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