Lakers Hit Rock Bottom Against Clippers
LOS ANGELES (CBSMiami) - For decades the Los Angeles Lakers have been the measuring stick for NBA franchises. But eventually everything that is on top will fall to the bottom and that may have happened to the Lakers Thursday night.
The Lakers lost to the Los Angeles Clippers 142-94 Thursday night. The 48 point loss eclipsed the franchise's previous record for biggest loss which was a 46-point shellacking at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers in 1995.
The victory by the Clippers showed how the balance of power has shifted in the city of Angels. For years, the Clippers were the lovable losers as the Lakers captured championship after championship.
But Thursday night, the Lakers offered no resistance at all to the Clippers and had no excuse for looking like the worst collection of talent to ever put on Lakers uniform.
Consider that in the second quarter of the game, the Clippers outscored the Lakers 44-13. Only twice since 2001 has a NBA team outscored another team by 30 points in a quarter.
Remember the Heat's rebounding woes? During the Clippers game, the Lakers were outrebounded by 31, the worst for any team this season.
This sequence by the Clippers' Blake Griffin pretty much sums up the game for the Lakers
The biggest problem for the Lakers and its fans is that there is little hope on the horizon for the franchise.
Free agents like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony aren't lining up to play for the Lakers anymore. Last year, the franchise couldn't hold on to big man Dwight Howard despite the glamour of L.A. and an offer of more money.
Kobe Bryant, while still a top player, will also be 36-years-old when he suits up for the Lakers again and it's unknown how much he or his body still has left in the tank.
The Lakers' best hope is the team continues to lose and lose big. The worse the record, the better chance the Lakers have of getting a top pick in the NBA Draft lottery with a very deep class coming into the league.
Still, the Lakers are probably another season away from competing again in the tough Western Conference.
Assuming LeBron and Carmelo stay in Miami and New York respectively, the summer of 2015 could be a game-changer for many franchises as both players will be free agents along with players like Kevin Love and others.
Thursday's loss was tough, but if the Lakers don't get a top pick and Kobe struggles at all next season, it will be another long winter in L.A. before there's any chance of the stars shining on the Lakers again.
