Friday, October 31, 2014 at 10:30 PM

Staples Center in Los Angeles

For Updated Odds on This Game Click Here

On Friday night, the Los Angeles Clipper will face the Los Angeles Lakers in a game where the Lakers will be considered the home team. Considering the teams share the same stadium, all this really means is the Clippers cannot cover the Lakers Championship banners.

The Lakers have started off this season 0 – 2. In their opening game Julius Randle went down with a broken right tibia. It is unlikely he will return to the court this season which is extremely unfortunate for a team in need of some talent. In addition, Ryan Kelly and Xavier Henry are questionable for this city rivalry.

In their last game against the Suns, Kobe dropped 31 points but the team still lost by 20 points. The Lakers could benefit from better offensive rebounding.

The Clippers are likely to be a tough matchup for the Lakers. The have won the division title the last 2 seasons and many analysts believe they will make a run at the NBA Championship this year.

Blake Griffin worked hard this offseason to improve his rebounding. His focus has been to fight for proper positioning in the paint. Griffin is an offensive force and should put up good numbers for the Clippers in this game. Spencer Hawes is a 7-foot Center and new addition to the Clippers team. Coach Rivers is hopeful that Hawes’ mid-range jumper will open up the lane for Chis Paul to penetrate. This game represents a battle to claim the city of Los Angeles and should be a fun one to watch.

Los Angeles Lakers Betting Trends

Los Angeles Lakers are 0-2-0 Against the Spread

Los Angeles Lakers are 1-1-0 against the Over/Under

Injuries to Watch

Los Angeles Clippers

10/29/14 F Glen Davis Groin expected to miss Thursday vs. Oklahoma City
10/29/14 G Jamal Crawford Hamstring probable Thursday vs. Oklahoma City

Los Angeles Lakers

10/30/14 F Ryan Kelly Hamstring out indefinitely
10/28/14 F Julius Randle Tibia out indefinitely
10/23/14 G Steve Nash Back out for season
10/04/14 G Nick Young Thumb expected to miss 6-8 weeks

Josh's Pick: Take the L.A. Clippers

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