When the Clippers opened the season against the Lakers, they were without offseason acquisition Marcus Camby, the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.
Before the game that night, Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy mused that he would like to play any team if his squad were at full strength, and he later added that if his two inside stalwarts, Camby and center Chris Kaman, were healthy, he gladly would take his chances with the Lakers' twin towers, 7-footers Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. Well, get set for the battle of the titans because the stage is set for the rematch between the winless Clippers and the undefeated Lakers.
Camby has battled back from the bruised right heel injury that kept him out for the entire exhibition season. He immediately displayed his rebounding prowess in his season debut in the Clippers' rematch at home against the Utah Jazz.
Camby's insertion into the lineup might take some of the offensive and defensive strain off Kaman, who has struggled so far. Bynum outplayed Kaman in the teams' first meeting.
The Lakers' starting five, however, was not the unit that dismantled the Clippers when the teams met a week ago. It was the Lakers' second unit, spearheaded by guard Jordan Farmar, which turned a relatively close game into a 38-point rout.
As dispiriting as the loss was to the team, it was even more demoralizing to long-suffering Clippers fans. For years they have had to endure the taunts of Lakers fans, many of whom are the fair-weather type and did little more than grumble during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, when the Clippers actually finished with better records.
The Lakers swept the four-game season series in 2007-08 between the Staples Center tenants, and the season splits between the teams the previous three seasons seem but a distant memory.
In order for the Clippers to be at least competitive when they take the court against the Lakers, the Clippers' starting five must keep the game close -- as it did in the first meeting -- and the Clippers' bench cannot crumble like it did in the Lakers' 117-79 victory.
With Camby back in the lineup, the Clippers' bench should be bolstered by having Tim Thomas playing on the second unit, rather than as a starter. It might be an opportunity for Dunleavy to give rookie Eric Gordon another look. Gordon missed all four of his shots in the first meeting against the Lakers.
JAZZ 89, CLIPPERS 73: The Clippers' futility hit rock bottom when they made only made 9 of 20 free throw tries. Carlos Boozer, who typically tortures the Clippers with his post scoring, was held to 13 points. But his backup, Ronnie Millsap, came off the bench to score 24.
Clippers center Chris Kaman had his best offensive night in four games, with 19 points and 10 rebounds. But he only made one of four free throw attempts, as did guard Baron Davis. It was the second-half blues again for the Clippers, who were outscored 53-38 in the third and fourth quarters.
