Since moving to the City of Angels in 1984, the Los Angeles Clippers have seriously lagged behind the Los Angeles Lakers in terms of popularity.
It’s no wonder why, as the Lakers have won a boatload of NBA championships, while the Clippers have reached the Western Conference Finals only once.
Until a decade ago, the Clippers had been a laughingstock, but the arrivals of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul changed that.
Now, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are looking to turn the Southland into a Clippers metropolis.
At least that’s what Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is hoping for.
Second part of SportsCenter interview with Steve Ballmer on what the Intuit Dome means for the Clippers in Los Angeles and eventually not having to share an arena with the Lakers: “I think it’s another statement that says, ‘Hey look, we're nobody’s little brother.’” pic.twitter.com/IcWo1LzvID
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) July 25, 2022
“You said this is Laker town. No. Laker-Clipper. And someday, I want to be able to say Clipper-Laker.”
The Clippers have made some key additions in recent months, such as 3-and-D forward Robert Covington, scoring guard Norman Powell and former All-Star point guard John Wall.
With Leonard making his way back from a knee injury he suffered in the 2021 playoffs, most agree the Clippers will be title contenders once again this coming season.
The fact that they will soon have their own arena in Inglewood is part of Ballmer’s effort to bring them out of the Lakers’ imposing shadow.
The Lakers, meanwhile, have gotten considerably younger and more athletic, but they currently appear to be nothing more than a playoff team.
They have lost the majority of their games to the Clippers over the past decade, and reversing that trend will be integral to preventing the Clippers from becoming more popular in the Los Angeles area.
