The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers battle for Los Angeles hasn't really been anything close over time. The Lakers have dominated by winning championships, but the Clippers have had more head-to-head wins of late.
Both teams have star power all over, but the difference has been the Clippers' ability to get quality role players. The Lakers have struggled to find consistency in recent seasons, leading to the Clippers taking more matchups lately.
One of those role players is guard Terance Mann, who has burst onto the scene in recent years. He has provided them with a nice scoring option and has directly seen the rivalry up close.
Mann spoke with Brandon "Scoop B' Robinson recently and provided some comments on how he believes the Clippers could claim the city of Los Angeles.
“Winning a championship. I think that’s the next step for us, you know? Winning a championship to really wake people up and have them realize that we’re here too!”
To Mann's credit, winning a title would be huge for the Clippers franchise. However, they would need to win at least 17 titles to claim the city of Los Angeles.
The Lakers have had sustained winning over decades, and that has built a culture around the city. The Clippers have made their presence felt over time, but it's nowhere as powerful as the Lakers.
Moving to their own arena in a few years will help the Clippers, but the Lakers will likely always run the city. It's just different when it comes to the Lakers, and the Clippers will be the underdogs, even if they are the better team at any given moment.
The Lakers and Clippers rivalry is a fun one for both sides, and it adds an extra layer of excitement each time they play. We've yet to see them face off in the playoffs, but maybe it'll happen down the line.
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