IT’S nice to be happy.
I caught the game between the crosstown rivals Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers Monday morning (3:30 a.m.) via Facebook live streaming (ahem, for free).
It was beamed from a Vietnamese NBA fan with Laker leanings. Never mind that the fella was at times talking aloud during the U.S.-fed national telecast.
The English audio was still loud enough to be heard. Thanks buddy, I got it fine simply because the Lakers won.
The LA Lakers blasted the LA Clippers, 112-103, at the Staples Center for their 26th road victory overall (against six losses).
Co-tenants at the Staples Center, the Clippers, who were designated as the “home” team, saw their six-game winning streak come to a halt.
The West-best Lakers (49-13) now own a seven-game edge over the conference second-leading Clippers (43-20) in the loss column.
Unless there’s a sudden meltdown, the Lakers are likely to secure the Western Conference leadership for the first time since 2009-10 when they registered a 57-25 record during the regulars and went on to earn their second consecutive Larry O’Brien championship hardware with a 4-3 win over their arch nemesis Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals behind back-to-back Finals MVP Kobe Bryant.
The Lakers were up, 85-81, after the end of the third quarter. The Lakers are now 42-0 when leading after three quarters.
LeBron James amassed 28 points (7-17 FGA) for the Lakers, including a dozen in the fourth frame, and totaled seven rebounds and nine assists.
The King’s sidekick Anthony Davis, who marks his 27th birthday on March 11, topped the Tinseltown boys with 30 points.
Heady guard Avery Bradley netted a season-high 24 points, spiked by 6-for-12 shooting from deep and 9-for-16 field clip overall.
Paul George was red-hot in the early goings and finished with 31 points for the Clippers. Two-time NBA championship veteran Kawhi Leonard added 27 points (9-18 FGA) in a losing cause.
The Clippers still hold the season-series upperhand, 2-1, despite the defeat.
The fourth and final game, which was postponed last January 28, or two days after the death of all-time Lakers great Kobe Bryant in a fiery helicopter crash, will be held next month (April 10 MT) with the Lakers designated as the “home” team at the Staples Center.
It was a “statement” weekend for El Ay after having also defeated the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks, 113-103, at the Staples Center last Saturday (Manila time).
The Milwaukee Bucks (53-11), playing without injured Giannis Antetokuonmpo, dropped two consecutive games for the first time this season, losing 140-131, on the road to the Phoenix Suns.
Antetokuonmpo suffered a sprained left knee during a 113-103 loss to the LA Lakers at the Staples Center last Saturday.
Devin Booker topped the Suns with 36 points, 20 of them in the first quarter.