LA Lakers (53-25) at LA Clippers (23-55) 10:30 pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles
Clippers have had completely different seasons.

The teams, which share the Staples Center, meet on Thursday when
the Clippers take the court as the home team against the
Lakers.

The Lakers enter Thursday's contest tied with the San Antonio
Spurs (53-24) for second place in the Western Conference, one
game in front of the Utah Jazz (52-26).

Despite their impressive standing, the Lakers had a four-game
win streak snapped on Tuesday, suffering a 112-103 setback to
the Portland Trail Blazers.

However, the Lakers should have little trouble bouncing back
against the Clippers, who have lost all three matchups this
season against their rivals, including a 119-82 drubbing the
last time the teams met on March 7.

The Clippers have been eliminated from postseason consideration
and have lost 14 of 16 games.

Corey Maggette, the Clippers leading scorer, is the latest
player to be bitten by the injury bug as he was forced to sit
out Tuesday's 117-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets with a strained
right hamstring.