Fansided

What you missed this week in the NBA: KD vs. Russ, ridiculous Rockets, Celtics

By Gabe Henderson

HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 05: James Harden
HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 05: James Harden /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 19: Lonzo Ball #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after he is fouled by Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers during the first half of the Los Angeles Lakers home opener at Staples Center on October 19, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 19: Lonzo Ball #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after he is fouled by Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers during the first half of the Los Angeles Lakers home opener at Staples Center on October 19, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

5. Lose Angeles

No, that is not a typo, that reads Lose Angeles. After the horrible luck both Los Angeles franchises have had in recent years, many thought this year would be time for a break. Wrong. The Clippers, who haven’t been able to get over the final hump in years, looked to get off to a promising start. Meanwhile, the Lakers’ young talent looked to build some momentum. Both fanbases got teased by their respective team.

Beginning in the offseason, the Clippers knew their star-studded team was crumbling from underneath them. Therefore, a decision to ship Chris Paul out (rather than release him) looked to cut the losses. The Clippers received some promising depth from the Rockets, most notably Patrick Beverley. However, unfortunately for Clippers fans, Beverley underwent knee surgery and is expected to miss the remainder of the season. But that’s not all. If Pat Bev’s injury wasn’t bad enough, the on-court performance put on by the Clippers has been horrendous. The Clippers, who began the season 5-2, have now fallen to a terrible 6-11, landing them amongst the bottom of the Western Conference, below their in-town rivals.

As for the Lakers, they currently sit at 8-11. While the record has not been as bad as some may have expected, individual performances have yet to impress critics. Lonzo Ball has fallen incredibly short of expectations and hype thus far. Even though he has two triple-doubles to his name, his shooting percentages are hideous and he’s as inconsistent as they come. Yes, you can evaluate his rebounding and assisting stats, but his shooting drags down his overall impact. In the end, the Ball/Fox feud largely disappointed. Partly because of Ball’s not-so-great performance (Fox wasn’t a show-stealer either). But also in part because the Lakers are so poor. The loss to Sacramento looks to be a low-point in the Lakers season.

Neither team has impressed thus far. If both franchises continue down this path, Los Angeles fans may turn to a more entertaining alternative, the Chargers (yikes) or the Rams.

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