Lakers, Clippers have gone different directions since last meeting

The Clippers are no longer an upstart and the Lakers are no longer among the NBA’s elite, all of which makes Thursday night’s crosstown showdown at the Intuit Dome just another midseason game. It’s a contest that still carries importance for both teams but has little to do with any sort of rivalry.

For the Clippers (19-24), the game is a chance to get back to winning after being blown out by the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday in the second game of a road back-to-back that ended a six-game winning streak.