SoCal NBA Preview

LA Lakers (53-25) at LA Clippers (23-55), 7:30 pm

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers have had completely different seasons. The teams, which share the Staples Center, meet on Thursday when the Clippers take the court as the home team against the Lakers.

The Lakers enter Thursday's contest tied with the San Antonio Spurs (53-24) for second place in the Western Conference, one game in front of the Utah Jazz (52-26). Despite their impressive standing, the Lakers had a four-game win streak snapped on Tuesday, suffering a 112-103 setback to the Portland Trail Blazers. However, the Lakers should have little trouble bouncing back against the Clippers, who have lost all three matchups this season against their rivals, including a 119-82 drubbing the last time the teams met on March 7.

The Clippers have been eliminated from postseason consideration and have lost 14 of 16 games. Corey Maggette, the Clippers leading scorer, is the latest player to be bitten by the injury bug as he was forced to sit out Tuesday's 117-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets with a strained right hamstring.