Tonight at 10:30 p.m. ET the Los Angeles Clippers (1-0) will play a road game in their own building at the Staples Center where they'll meet the struggling Los Angeles Lakers (0-2) in the second game of their season-opening back-to-back. Watch the game on ESPN or live stream it free by clicking this link. Lakers fans can hear the radio broadcast on 710 ESPN, while Clippers fans may do likewise on KFWB 980.
Despite talk in the preseason about how the Lakers would have to survive this season by playing stingy defense, their performance in the first two games indicates they may not be up to the task. The Lakers have begun the season 0-2 and surrendered an average of 113 points through the two contests.
"I told them we have to hang in there and stay together as a team," coach Byron Scott said. "It is only two games."
Star guard Kobe Bryant is already admitting frustration with the slow start. "The frustration comes from getting blown out twice," Bryant said. "The clutching and grabbing and stuff, I think Byron is trying to lobby to get me some more calls. That stuff never bothered me. I do quite a bit of it myself."
Bryant also said he had faith that things would turn around. "We're not as bad as these two games. We're not."
They do appear offensively challenged though, especially after rookie power forward Julius Randle broke his leg in the opener and was lost for the remainder of the season. Drafted No. 7 overall in the 2014 draft, Randle was expected to be a force down low.
With Steve Nash also out for the season, Bryant will need help from point guard Jeremy Lin, whom he said he is working with during games. "I talked to him a on the bench a little bit [Wednesday night]," Bryant said. "I said, 'You've got to run the offense. Like, I'm telling you to run the offense. You've got to do it.'"
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