Lakers Suffer Humiliating 36-Point Loss to Clippers

To say that the battle for Los Angeles was one-sided would be an insult to every one-sided battle in the history of human kind.

The Clippers, who for so long were subjected to jokes and condescension from the Lakers side of things in Hollywood, dismantled the proud franchise to the tune of 123-87. Bill Oram of the Orange County Register points out that the 36-point margin of defeat was close to the wrong side of history from a Lakers’ perspective:

For what it's worth, the 36-point loss is tied for 10th worst in franchise history, and ESPN points out it matches the worst-ever loss in Los Angeles:

As ESPN Stats and Info indicates, the loss is the worst the Lakers have ever suffered against the Clippers:

The game was missing a lot of the expected star power as Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant are nursing injuries, but these squads are heading in opposite directions at least for the 2013-14 season. The Clippers continue to battle for playoff positioning with the likes of the San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder, so every win without their star point guard is meaningful.

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

As for the Lakers, speculation about the future is the one thing that can keep their spirits up. Perhaps one day fans will be treated to a Kevin Love and Kobe Bryant tandem, but the product taking the floor currently needs plenty of work.

The Lakers have now lost 10 of their last 11 games following the humiliating defeat to the Clippers and have a seven-game road trip following their next home game against Cleveland. It’s safe to say there have been better days for this Lakers franchise.