LA Clippers vs LA Lakers Prediction & Match Preview - December 11th, 2020 | NBA Preseason 2020-21
Fixture - LA Clippers vs LA Lakers - NBA Preseason
Date & Time - December 11th,10 PM ET (December 12th, 8:30 AM IST)
Location - Staples Centre, Los Angeles
The LA Lakers will meet the LA Clippers in a highly anticipated NBA preseason clash. Both teams are prime contenders for 2020-21NBA Championship. Fans will be hoping to see Paul George and Kawhi Leonard play after it was reported that Anthony Davis and LeBron James won't be participating in this fixture.
LA Clippers Preview
After a disheartening exit at the hands of Denver Nuggets in last season's playoffs, the LA Clippers will be looking to prove that they are the team to beat when they take on the reigning champs LA Lakers in the preseason fixture.
The LA Clippers have retooled their roster this offseason, bringing in Luke Kennard and Serge Ibaka through NBA trades. They also tied down power forward Marcus Morris, who was impressive for them in the Orlando bubble, to a new deal. Newly-appointed head coach Tyronn Lue will be looking to make a statement by winning this preseason tie against city rivals LA Lakers, and we can expect a strong LA Clippers lineup.
Key Player- Kawhi Leonard
Star forward Kawhi Leonard has caught a lot of flak since the LA Clippers' exit from the bubble, for his failure to take the team through to Western Conference Finals despite leading 3-1 against the Denver Nuggets. Leonard was abysmal in the 4th quarter of the deciding Game 7 and will have to redeem himself in the upcoming season.
A good start would be with a strong performance against the LA Lakers in the preseason game, where he will be facing a comparatively weak Lakers team. Leonard has shown the ability to be the main man in the past, and LA Clippers will be hoping for the same tomorrow.
LA Clippers Predicted Lineup
Luke Kennard, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris, Serge Ibaka
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LA Lakers Preview
The LA Lakers have had a stellar offseason, as they signed key players like Marc Gasol and Dennis Schroeder. The franchise also committed the star duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis to a long term deal.
Both James and Davis are expected to sit out of this preseason fixture as they have had a short offseason. The LA Lakers' chances to win the game will come down to how well the role players and their new acquisitions perform. Head coach Frank Vogel will look to tinker with his roster and this game will help him determine how deep his roster actually is.
Key Player- Dennis Schroeder
The LA Lakers fans complained about the team's lack of a star guard last year, thanks to Danny Green's shooting woes and Rajon Rondo's inconsistency. Their patience was rewarded this offseason, as Rob Pelinka and co. acquired Dennis Schroeder from OKC Thunder. Schroeder had a stellar 19-20 NBA season, in which he missed out on the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award by a narrow margin to his current LA Lakers teammate Montrezl Harrell.
Schroeder will be entrusted with running the offense against the LA Clippers tomorrow in the absence of James and Davis, and it will be intriguing to watch how he copes with this responsibility.
LA Lakers Predicted Lineup
Dennis Schroeder, Wesley Matthews, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol
LA Lakers vs LA Clippers - Match Prediction
The LA Lakers will be fielding a much weaker starting 5 than the LA Clippers, so naturally, the odds will be in the latter's favor. However, it's the first game of the preseason so both the teams are expected to put on a rusty show, and it won't be a surprise if the LA Lakers are able to nick a win by a narrow margin.
LA Lakers vs LA Clippers- Where to Watch
National coverage of the game will be available on Fox Sports Prime Ticket. International viewers can catch the game on NBA League Pass.
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