We’ve been waiting for it for two years. The hype has been huge for two years. But still nothing. The long-awaited Battle of Los Angeles since the summer of 2019 didn’t happen last year because of the Clippers’ choke, nor will it happen this year following the Lakers’ first-round elimination, which could also be followed by that of the Clips this Friday. So guys, when is it?
“The Staples Center is the big winner of the summer. » Here’s what LeBron James said during Media Day 2019 after the big hits made by the two Los Angeles franchises. On the one hand, the King’s Lakers, reinforced by the arrival of Anthony Davis. On the other, the Clippers, boosted by the XXL recruitment of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Two star duos, two duos destined to dominate, two duos destined to cross paths, again and again, and especially on the big stage of the Playoffs. We know the money machine that is the NBA, so we were never surprised to see the Great League put this poster on all the sauces: Opening Night, Christmas Day, all that on the national antenna of course, in short everything been done from the beginning to maximize the hype. When you have in the same city, which is moreover in the city of entertainment and stars, four of the best players on the planet including the King and the MVP of the 2019 Finals, the opportunity is too good not to take full advantage of it. For the first time, the Lakers and the Clippers – two franchises with radically different histories despite their geographic proximity – began to share the same goal, the ultimate goal: the NBA title. Rivalry is then inevitable, especially when you have big mouths on each side but also campaigns that spice it all up. We remember this New Balance ad by Kawhi Leonard, with the little crown on the Los Angeles native’s key ring and the message « This is his city ». We remember the little spades sent by the Clippers to the Lakers on the panels of the city: « Streetlights over spotlights », « Driven over given », « L.A. Our Way », so many slogans that raised the temperature.
All that for… not much in the end. Because we are still waiting for this famous battle of Los Angeles, this series of potentially epic Playoffs on the floor of the Staples Center. And we’re gonna have to wait at least another year. In the Orlando bubble, confrontation seemed inevitable when the Clippers led 3-1 against the Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals. But the Clips preferred to respect the tradition of the lose that characterizes this franchise so much by performing an all-time choke, while the Lakers advanced towards the NBA title. This year ? It is the defending champions who have not respected their part of the contract, they who have just become the seventh defending champion to be eliminated in the first round of the Playoffs. The Clippers could very well join them tomorrow on the Venice Beach side in the event of another defeat this Friday in Dallas, and they can then fight this battle on the local playground. We will still wait before burying them but in the end it does not change the story since “The Battle of LA” is already postponed. When? Next year ? Maybe yes, maybe no. Rested and recharged, the Lakers of LeBron James and Anthony Davis will probably return with a knife between their teeth in 2021-22, on the other hand it is not clear what will happen to the Clippers if they crash in the first round of the Playoffs. We just remember in passing that Kawhi Leonard will be a free agent this summer. Now, Kawhi is in his city, we still doubt that he is leaving, and Paul George extended his contract a few months ago. We should therefore also find this duo, it remains to be defined who will be around. While waiting to see the rest of the events, we can only have some regrets when we see this battle of Los Angeles passes us under our noses for a second consecutive year. We love the new faces of the 2021 Playoffs, we like the collectives of Utah, Phoenix and Denver, but we want this Lakers – Clippers confrontation at all costs, at least once in our life. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the first round, in the Western Conference semifinals or in the conference finals, it has to happen. Point bar.
The Battle of Los Angeles is not for this year either. Will we be entitled to it one day? Only the future can answer this question. To calm our frustration, we only know one way: to redo all the episodes of Ch’tis in Hollywood. No, we’re kidding.