The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers do battle again Wednesday night at Staples Center, in the second of three meetings between the crosstown rivals. Chris Paul is expected back for the Clippers after missing five games with a strained left hamstring. Here are the relevant details of Wednesday night's battle of LA:
Records: Clippers (9-5, first in Pacific Division, third in Western Conference); Lakers (10-8, second in Pacific, 10th in West)
Location: Staples Center, with the Lakers as the home team
Time: 7:30 p.m. PST
TV: Fox Sports West (Lakers broadcast) and Prime Ticket (Clippers broadcast)
Offensive Efficiency: Clippers, 106.2 points per 100 possessions (seventh in NBA); Lakers, 101.8 (17th)
Defensive Efficiency: Lakers, 99.7 (eighth); Clippers, 104.8 (23rd)
Home Sweet Home: The Lakers are 9-2 at home this season, and had a nine-game home winning streak snapped on Sunday night. The Lakers are 9-3 at Staples Center this season, including a loss to the Clippers on January 14. The home team in this series has won four straight games and nine of the last 10 contests.
Staples Sweet Staples: The Clippers are 8-2 at home this season, and are 24-9 (.727) in their last 33 games at Staples Center, dating back to last season, which includes a pair of road losses to the Lakers; during that same span, the Lakers are 27-10 (.730) at Staples Center, which also includes two road losses to the Clippers.
Chasing History: The Lakers and Clippers play three times this season. If the Clippers win tonight or on April 4 (a Clippers home game), they will win the season series against the Lakers for just the third time in franchise history. The 1992-1993 Clippers won three of five against the Lakers, and the 1974-1975 Buffalo Braves won all four contests against the Lakers.
For more news and notes on both teams, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll and Clips Nation.