LOS ANGELES — In 2006, the Lakers were one win from forging a second-round matchup against the Clippers, the first time the franchises would have met in the postseason. They lost to Phoenix.
In 2020, the Clippers were one win from securing the conference-final showdown against the Lakers that had been anticipated for months. They collapsed against Denver.
These co-tenants of Crypto.com Arena still have yet to meet in the postseason. With playoff seeding still up for grabs in the Western Conference and each team entering with 41-38 records, the result of Wednesday's matchup will go a long way toward deciding each rival's postseason direction, whether toward the play-in tournament or directly to a first-round series with a top-six finish.
