National Basketball Association

NBA Roundtable: Are the Clippers running away with the 'Battle of LA'?

Published Jan. 7, 2024 2:56 p.m. ET

Ric Bucher

FOX Sports NBA Analyst

Yaron Weitzman

FOX Sports NBA Writer

Melissa Rohlin

FOX Sports NBA Writer

The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers will see each other twice in January and although both teams have struggled at points in the season, there will be a clear favorite going into their meetings: the Clippers.

This week, we asked FOX Sports' panel of NBA reporters — Ric Bucher, Melissa Rohlin and Yaron Weitzman — to delve into the inter-city rivalry and explain why both teams are in their current situations.

1. When the Clippers first traded for James Harden in November, the early returns weren't exactly promising. Two months later, the Clippers are the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and 13-2 in their last 15 games. What do you attribute their turnaround to?

Weitzman: Russell Westbrook being moved out of the starting lineup. The Clippers lost their first five games with Harden in the lineup. Westbrook was then moved to the bench. They've gone 18-5 (!) since.

Rohlin: The team's superstars said from the beginning that it would take a little while for them to find their rhythm. At first, Harden was deferring too much. It quickly became clear that Harden and Westbrook (two ball-dominant guards) both being in the starting lineup made no sense. Westbrook volunteered to come off the bench, a striking development for him considering he was so hesitant to assume The Sixth Man role with the Lakers. Harden then began being more aggressive and playing his game. Harden, Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have all said they're willing to sacrifice to make this work. Now, it's becoming clear that those weren't just empty words.

Bucher: Start with embarrassment and scheduling. Losing to former Clippers DeAndre Jordan and Reggie Jackson, stand-ins for Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, on their home floor, then losing to a shorthanded — and just plain short — Warriors' squad a few days later appeared to be a come-to-Jesus moment for them. Followed by the chance to get revenge against those same teams, a healthy slate of home games vs. meh opponents, road games against a Dallas team without Dereck Lively II or Kyrie Irving and a Pacers' team recovering from its IST run — point being, miss me with the Clippers' Kool-Aid for now. Harden reprising the playmaking role he had when he first arrived in Brooklyn has certainly helped as well. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard staying healthy and available has also been a big, arguably unexpected, plus.

2. As currently constructed, is this Clippers team capable of winning the NBA Finals? Why or why not? Which teams would you put ahead of them in the Western Conference?

Weitzman: Betting on the Clippers to win a title still means betting on the health of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and on Harden not wilting come playoff time. In other words: it's not a bet I would make. That said, right now, there seems to be a clear gap between the top four teams in the West (the Clippers, Nuggets, Thunder and Wolves) and the rest of the conference. With that being the case, the Clippers, if healthy, can absolutely make the finals.

Rohlin: Could this team win a championship? Absolutely. Will this team win a championship? That's another question. The Clippers have never gotten past the Conference Finals ever. In recent years, they've been plagued by injuries to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George come playoff time. That's why James Harden joining this team is so intriguing. Can he push the Clippers over the edge if the oft-injured Leonard and George have issues down the line? Potentially.

Right now, at least on paper, this team has everything it needs to go all the way. Not to mention, George, Westbrook and Harden are all incredibly hungry to make this work, so they can win their first championship. (Leonard, of course, has already won two championships with San Antonio (2014) and Toronto (2019). So, in summary, this team has the skill and hunger to win their first title – the question is just whether they will get in their own way, which, if history matters, always seems to pose a big problem for the Clippers.

Bucher: "Capable" and "constructed" are such tricky words when applied to the Clippers. Technically, they're capable because they have all the necessary talent. They have a coach who knows what it takes to win a championship. They have a player who has a ring or two. I had a recent conversation with a former Clipper, asking why, despite having had all that for years, why the franchise hasn't come close to making good on that potential. Short answer: too many erratic stars with the one measured one (Kawhi) of the belief that it's not his job to calm the waters when the seas get rough and the personalities go a little haywire. The Nuggets, Timberwolves, Lakers, Mavericks, Warriors and Thunder all have that.

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3. Down the hall, the Lakers are scrambling for answers. What would say is the No. 1 problem for the Lakers, a team that made the Western Conference Finals just last season?

Weitzman: The same that it's been all season — they can't score. The Lakers have the league's sixth-worst offense. There are just not enough creators or shooters on this roster.

Rohlin: Morale. The Lakers were 14-9 and celebrating the In-Season Tournament championship just last month. Since then, they've struggled on both ends of the court, appearing lost and discombobulated. It doesn't add up. Sure, role players have struggled with injuries and coach Darvin Ham seems to be cycling through starting lineups at an alarming rate. But the Lakers brought back their core that reached the Western Conference Finals last season. Right now, it just seems like they're in their own heads, unable to close games, play with the requisite energy and succeed.

Bucher: Not enough two-way players. They have 2 ½ playmakers — LeBron, Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell with certain matchups. Those are also three of their worst defenders. It feels as if Anthony Davis is quietly having a monster year defensively, but if they're not getting to the free-throw line and have time to set their defense, they look vulnerable at that end of the floor as well. Unless they go with their longer, more athletic lineup — in which case they get killed in the 3-point exchange.

4. What would have to happen for the Lakers to compete for a title this season?

Weitzman: They'd have to find a way to upgrade the offense. Maybe that means trading for Zach LaVine. Maybe someone else. But they're not going anywhere with an offense that's one of the ten-worst in the league.

Rohlin: LeBron James and Anthony Davis need to stay healthy. Sure, there are lots of talks about trades and whispers about the inadequacy of this roster. They could use more shooters. Their defense seems lackluster. But when it comes down to it, come playoff time, James' and Davis' health is the most important thing. James goes into best mode in the postseason. And when Davis is healthy, he's an MVP contender. If those two guys can remain unjnjured, the Lakers will always have a shot.

Bucher: Another wholesale trade deadline makeover, staying healthy while the other contenders suffer key injuries and series matchups against less experienced teams. Sort of like last year, with Nikola Jokic deciding to hit the harness-racing circuit as a bonus.

5. How would you rank these players based on how they've performed this season? Anthony Davis, Paul George, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James. Please explain your thinking.

Weitzman: Man, that's tough. I'll go with Kawhi, LeBron, AD, PG and then Harden. But honestly, I don't have much conviction here. To me all five of these guys have played great all season. The Clippers are succeeding because they have three of them. The Lakers are failing because they only have two.

Rohlin: The two players I want to shout out are Paul George and Anthony Davis. I think George has been the unsung hero on the Clippers this season, playing his game consistently every night. While the team's four superstars have struggled to find their fit together, George has been reliable and aggressive. I think he has been the difference-maker for the team. As for Davis, he has been dominant — but, most importantly, he has been available. For the Lakers, that's a combination that will end up having a big payoff if he can keep that up down the linee.

Bucher: AD, Kawhi, PG, Harden, LeBron. AD has played as well and as consistently as I've ever seen him, which is being lost in the Lakers' struggles. LeBron still has his moments, but he's getting his offensive numbers off of his IQ and hunting mismatches. His live turnovers, shot selection in key moments and general disregard for defense have been alarming. Kawhi, PG and Harden all being good and available has been the difference for the Clippers.

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Yaron Weitzman is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. He is the author of "Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports." Follow him on Twitter @YaronWeitzman.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

Ric Bucher is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. He previously wrote for Bleacher Report, ESPN The Magazine and The Washington Post and has written two books, "Rebound," on NBA forward Brian Grant's battle with young onset Parkinson's, and "Yao: A Life In Two Worlds." He also has a daily podcast, "On The Ball with Ric Bucher." Follow him on Twitter @RicBucher.

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