Lakers vs Clippers

Lore & Background

The Lakers hold a 107–66 advantage in the all-time series since the Clippers moved to Los Angeles. The two teams have never met in the playoffs. The Lakers lost a 3–1 series lead and failed to advance to the Western Conference semifinals against the Phoenix Suns in 2006, while the Clippers also lost a 3–1 lead against the Denver Nuggets in 2020, nixing a conference finals matchup with the eventual NBA champion Lakers. From the opening of Crypto.com Arena (known then as Staples Center) in 1999, the Lakers and Clippers shared the arena, when their matchups were sometimes called the "Hallway Series". The Clippers moved to Intuit Dome in Inglewood in 2024, while the Lakers remained at Crypto.com Arena.

Reader's Guide

The Lakers had existed in Los Angeles since 1960 after relocating there from Minneapolis, for which they had played in the NBA since 1948 since moving over from the NBL a season prior and won 5 championships there before the Clippers were founded in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves. During their first match against each other, the Lakers beat the Braves 104–90 on October 30, 1970, at The Forum. The Braves originally played in the Atlantic Division before moving to San Diego in the 1978–79 season and were subsequently renamed the Clippers, officially joining the Lakers in the Pacific Division.

San Diego won in their first game against the Lakers, winning 124–113 on October 24, 1978. The Lakers were joined by the Clippers in Los Angeles in 1984 after six seasons in San Diego following the Clippers' ownership change to Donald Sterling. The team originally made their home in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, about 10 mi from the Lakers then-home at The Forum in Inglewood. After the Clippers move, the teams drew a crowd of 14,991 in their first meeting at the Sports Arena; it was the then-largest home-court attendance in Clippers history.

The fans were evenly divided in their support of the two teams. The Lakers won 108–103, and the Associated Press wrote that "a crosstown rivalry was born." By 1986, the Lakers were still undefeated against the Clippers, and AP offered that it was "a crosstown rivalry that hasn't been much of one." Lakers fans would outnumber Clippers fans at the Sports Arena during the teams' matchups for years until 1992, when the Clippers had their first winning season since 1978–79 and their first playoff appearance since 1976.

The Clippers ended a 27-game Forum losing streak against the Lakers that season, and they finished with a better record than the Lakers. They again finished ahead of the Lakers in 1992–93. They also won the season series against the Lakers for the first time since moving to Los Angeles. In 1993–94, both teams missed the playoffs marking the first time that both teams had missed the postseason in the same season, a feat that was later repeated in the 2004–2005 season.

From the 1994–95 to 1998–99 seasons, the Clippers played a limited number of home games at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim. In those seasons, the Clippers played the Lakers at the Pond only three times, compiling a record of 1–2 against the Lakers in Anaheim.

Coaching Turmoil and Historic Leadership

The 2024–25 season began with significant instability in the coaching ranks, marking a stark departure from recent stability. On May 3, 2024, the franchise made the decisive move to dismiss head coach Darvin Ham along with his entire assistant staff, including Phil Handy, who had been instrumental during their 2020 championship run. This vacancy was filled on June 24, 2024, when JJ Redick was appointed as the new head coach. Despite entering the year as the defending NBA Cup champions, the team struggled to replicate that success under new leadership, failing to advance past the group stage of the tournament with a 2–2 record in West Group B. The season also faced external challenges; two games were postponed due to the devastating January 2025 Southern California wildfires, an event that personally impacted Redick when his home was destroyed by the Palisades Fire. These early struggles set a turbulent tone before the team eventually found its rhythm later in the campaign.

Historic Milestones and Family Legacy

This season will be remembered for shattering long-standing historical barriers within the NBA, primarily centered around LeBron James. In the season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves, James and his son Bronny made history as the first father-son duo to play together in a regular-season game. This milestone was further cemented when James became the first player ever to compete in the league both as a teenager and as a 40-year-old on New Year's Eve. The franchise also honored its past by retiring jersey number 21 for Michael Cooper during a January 13, 2025 game against the San Antonio Spurs, coinciding with his announcement as a Hall of Fame finalist. These moments highlighted a unique convergence of generational achievement and organizational respect, creating a narrative that transcended standard basketball statistics.

The Shocking Trade Blockbuster

In a move widely regarded as one of the most shocking in NBA history, the Lakers executed a massive three-team trade on February 2, 2025. The deal involved the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz, resulting in Los Angeles acquiring superstar Luka Dončić alongside Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. This transaction was unprecedented as it marked the first time in league history that two reigning All-NBA players were traded for each other during an active season. The seismic shift altered the team's trajectory immediately, replacing their established star with a new global icon in a high-stakes gamble that redefined the roster's potential and future direction.

Dramatic Finishes and Playoff Heartbreak

The latter half of the season was defined by intense volatility and dramatic finishes. On March 26, 2025, LeBron James secured a buzzer-beating tip-in against the Indiana Pacers for his first game-winner as a Laker, tying him with Michael Jordan in career count shortly after. However, the very next day, the team suffered a crushing loss to the Chicago Bulls on Josh Giddey's half-court shot over James, making them only the fifth team ever to win and lose consecutive games on buzzer-beaters. Despite clinching a playoff berth without needing the play-in tournament and securing their first Pacific Division title since 2020, the season ended in disappointment. As favorites, they were eliminated in the first round by the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in five games, marking their third first-round exit in five seasons.

Clippers Rise and Role Reversal

Starting with the 2010–11 season, Blake Griffin helped draw interest in the Clippers. A turning point occurred before the following season, when the Lakers thought they had acquired Chris Paul in a trade, but commissioner David Stern vetoed the trade and Paul was instead traded to the Clippers. Prior to Paul's arrival, the Clippers had the worst overall winning percentage in the NBA (.349) since they moved to Los Angeles, while the Lakers during that same period had the best (.659).

In a game that season won by the Clippers, tempers flared and seven technical fouls were called. Although it was a home game for the Clippers at Staples, Clippers fans were still outnumbered by Lakers fans. In a heated rematch won by the Lakers, ESPN wrote, "If the Staples co-tenants didn't have a rivalry before [the game], they have one now." Paul was upset after the game that Lakers forward Pau Gasol touched him on the head. "...don't touch the top of my head like I'm one of your kids," warned Paul.

Some Clippers in 2012 denied that a rivalry existed. Griffin offered that "a rivalry has to be evenly matched, and this one hasn't been over the years." Clippers center DeAndre Jordan said the Lakers "are proven. They have more championships.

They have Hall of Famer players. We're still a young team." The Clippers in 2011–12 had a winning record for only the third time since Donald Sterling bought the team in 1981. For the first time in 2012–13, the Clippers, like the Lakers, had reasonable expectations to win an NBA championship.

The Clippers signed former Lakers Ronny Turiaf, Matt Barnes, and Lamar Odom. Coach Mike Brown of the 0–2 Lakers called the 1–0 Clippers "a better team" prior to their first meeting. He added, "It's sort of a rivalry now, and so it will probably be a physical game." Lakers fans booed the Clippers during warmups and player introductions, which Griffin did not witness before during his rookie season.

He said Lakers fans "didn't really care" about the Clippers before. The Clippers won the game, dropping the Lakers to 0–3 for the first time in 34 years. The game was televised by ESPN and drew a 5.9 rating in Los Angeles, the network's highest-rated regular season game ever in the L.A. market.