This figured to be a difficult season for the Lakers, but even they didn’t expect it to be this bad, to the point where they’ve won only five of their first 30 games.
But this season hasn’t been exactly what the Clippers envisioned, either. Their 94-84 victory over the Lakers on Friday at Staples Center ended a losing streak at three games and lifted them to 17-13, not awful but certainly not persuasive proof they can go deeper into the playoffs than their usual second-round exit in a punishingly good conference.
“You are what your record says you are, all the time,†Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said, leaving open the question of who they are.
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Recording artists Beyonce, left, and Jay-Z watch the Clippers play the Brooklyn Nets at Staples Center on Jan. 22, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
2/100
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen sit courtside for the final Kobe Bryant-LeBron James matchup on March 10, 2016, at Staples Center.
(Danny Moloshok / Associated Press) 3/100
Cam Newton takes in the Cavaliers-Lakers game on March 10, 2016, when Kobe Bryant and LeBron James played against each other for the final time.
(Harry How / Getty Images) 4/100
Beyonce and Jay Z take in the Clippers’ 103-98 comeback victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 2, 2016.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press) 5/100
Clippers guard Chris Paul, left, is congratulated by Billy Crystal after a 97-83 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 9.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press) 6/100
Jay Z watches the Clippers pick up their 10th consecutive winy with a 104-90 victory over the Miami Heat on Jan. 13.
(Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 7/100
Freida Pinto and polo player Ronnie Bacardi watch the Lakers play the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 15, 2015.
(Danny Moloshok / AP) 8/100
Olivia Wilde talks to Will Forte during a Clippers game against the Orlando Magic on Dec. 5, 2015.
(Mike Nelson / EPA) 9/100
Drake attends the game between the Lakers and his hometown Toronto Raptors on Nov. 20, 2015.
(John Salangsang / Invision) 10/100
Will Ferrell has food delivered to his courtside seat during a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons on Nov. 15.
(Robyn Beck / AFP / Getty Images) 11/100
Kendall Jenner watches the Lakers take on the Dallas Mavericks during a game Nov. 1, 2015.
(Mike Nelson / EPA) 12/100
Arsenio Hall and George Lopez check out a season-opening game between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 28, 2015.
(Harry How / Getty Images) 13/100
Television personalities Khloe Kardashian, left, and Kendall Jenner, center, attend a playoff game between the Clippers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on May 8, 2015.
(Paul Buck / EPA) 14/100
Brazilian model Wanessa Milhomem, left, and Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers sit courtside during a game between the Lakers and Atlanta Hawks on March 15, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
15/100
Recording artist Snoop Dogg attends a playoff game between the Clippers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on May 8, 2015.
(Paul Buck / EPA) 16/100
Actors Billy Crystal, left, and Timothy Olyphant attend a playoff game between the Clippers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on May 8, 2015.
(Paul Buck / EPA) 17/100
Actor Eddie Murphy and girlfriend Paige Butcher attend the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Lakers at Staples Center on April 12, 2015.
(Stephen Dunn / Getty Images) 18/100
Actress Mindy Kaling attends a game between the Lakers and Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on April 12, 2015.
(Stephen Dunn / Getty Images) 19/100
Actor Denzel Washington laughs as he sits courtside during a game between the Lakers and New York Knicks at Staples Center on March 12, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
20/100
Actor Paul Wesley, left, and actress Phoebe Tonkin, right, sit courtside during a game between the Lakers and Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on March 15, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
21/100
Actor Hayden Christensen attends a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on March 10, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actress Dyan Cannon, center, sits courtside during a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on March 10, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Casey Affleck attends a game between the Lakers and Boston Celtics at Staples Center on Feb. 22, 2015. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
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Actor Mark Wahlberg listens to Lakers trainer Gary Vitti during a game between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center on Feb. 27, 2015. (Stephen Dunn / Getty Images)
25/100
Broadcasting entrepreneur Norman Pattiz, left, talks with recording artist Tom Petty during a game between the Lakers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on Jan. 25, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
26/100
Actor Andy Garcia walks from his seat during a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on March 10, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
27/100
Actor Liev Schreiber sits with his son, Sasha, during a game between the Lakers and Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on March 8, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
28/100
Television personality Bill Maher watches the Lakers play the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on March 8, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Cameron Diaz, center, and her husband Benji Maddien watch the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers game. (MICHAEL NELSON / EPA)
30/100
Denzel Washington chats with former Lakers star Norm Nixon during the Lakers-Rockets game. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Recording artists Jay-Z, left, and Beyonce sit courtside during a game between the Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center on Jan. 16, 2015. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
32/100
Actress Jennifer Garner attends a game between the Clippers and Boston Celtics at Staples Center on Jan. 19, 2015. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)
33/100
Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. watches the Clippers play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 16. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
34/100
Model Kendall Jenner, center, sits with her half-sister Khloe Kardashian, left, during the Clippers’ 114-89 victory over the Lakers at Staples Center on Jan. 7. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
35/100
Kevin Hart and fiancee Eniko Parrish sit courtside for the Clippers-Warriors game on Christmas. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
36/100
Australian recording artist Iggy Azalea sits courtside at a game between the Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center on Dec. 7, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
37/100
Skrillex spent his Christmas evening checking out the Clippers-Warriors game at Staples Center. (Victor Decolongon / Getty Images)
38/100
Former NBA All-Star Baron Davis enjoys the Warriors-Clippers game on Christmas evening. (Victor Decolongon / Getty Images)
39/100
New parents Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher take a break from parenthood to enjoy the Lakers-Thunder game. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
40/100
Athony Kiedis and his son, Everly Bear Kiedis, attend the Lakers game against the New Orleans Pelicans. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
41/100
Sylvester Stallone spends a moment chatting courtside at the Lakers-Pelicans game. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
42/100
Drake, a well-known Toronto fans, takes in the Lakers’ games against the Raptors. That’d be the Lakers’ 127-122 victory in overtime. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
43/100
Recording artist Rhianna smiles while attending a playoff game between the Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
44/100
Chris Brown and Rihanna sit side by side at the Lakers-Knicks game on Christmas Day. (Robyn Beck / AFP / Getty Images)
45/100
Australian recording artist Iggy Azalea sits courtside during a game between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on Nov. 28, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
46/100
Recording artist and actor LL Cool J attends a game between the Clippers and Utah Jazz on Nov. 3, 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
47/100
Jack Black plays it cool as he watches the Lakers get their first victory of the 2014-15 season against the Charlotte Hornets. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
48/100
Kim Kardashian, left, and her husband, recording artist Kanye West, watch the Lakers play the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on Oct. 28, 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
49/100
Recording artist Adam Levine, left, and his wife, Behati Prinsloo, watch the Lakers play the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on Oct. 28, 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actress Emmy Rossum attends a Lakers-Portland Trail Blazers game in 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
51/100
Fergie sings the national anthem before the Clippers opened the 2014-15 season against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Paul Buck / EPA)
52/100
Actor David Hasselhoff cheers on the Clippers during a playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
53/100
Actress Chloe Grace Moretz cheers on the Clippers during a playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
54/100
Actor Owen Wilson attends a game between the Clippers and Phoenix Suns at Staples Center on Nov. 15, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
55/100
Television and film producer James L. Brooks, left, and Jack Nicholson watch a playoff game between the Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, left, hugs actor Jet Li before a game against the Houston Rockets on Oct. 28, 2014. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)
57/100
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer poses for photos with recording artist Fergie during the Clippers’ 2014 season opener at Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
58/100
Recording artist Beyonce sits courtside during a game between the Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center on Jan. 16, 2015. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
59/100
Recording artist Justin Bieber, left, greets boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. during a Clippers playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
60/100
Actor Mark Wahlberg sits with his wife, model Rhea Durham during a playoff game between the Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
61/100
Actor Billy Crystal celebrates as he watches the Clippers play the Oklahoma City Thunder in a playoff game at Staples Center. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
62/100
Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt watches a Lakers-Phoenix Suns game in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
63/100
Actor Dylan McDermott and his daughter, Colette Rose McDermott, watch the Lakers play the Phoenix Suns in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
64/100
Recording artist Rihanna watches the Clippers play the Oklahoma City Thunder in a playoff game at Staples Center. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
65/100
Recording artist Justin Bieber takes a photo while sitting courtside during a Clippers playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
66/100
Actors Kristen Dunst, left, and Garrett Hedlund watch the Lakers play the New Orleans Pelicans in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
67/100
Actors David Hornsby and Emily Deschanel watch the Lakers play the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
68/100
Actor Zach Galifianakis watches the Lakers play the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2013. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
69/100
Actor Christopher Meloni and his daughter, Sophia, left, attend a Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans game in 2014. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
70/100
Actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis attend a Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans game in 2014. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
71/100
Actor Will Farrell reacts while watching himself on the big screen during a game between the Lakers and Sacramento Kings in 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
72/100
Australian recording artist Iggy Azalea walks to her seat before a game between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on Nov. 28, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
73/100
Actor Simon Baker takes in a Lakers-Orlando Magic game in 2009. (Noah Graham / Getty Images)
74/100
Actor Zac Efron, center, attends a Lakers-Dallas Mavericks game in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
75/100
Reality star Nicole Richie, left, and musician Joel Madden attend a Lakers-Portland Trail Blazers game in 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
76/100
Rihanna chats with the son of agent Ari Emanuel during a game between the Lakers and Golden State Warriors. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
77/100
Former Laker Rick Fox watches the Clippers play the Brooklyn Nets. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
78/100
Jack Nicholson, left, and Adam Sandler sit courtside as the Lakers host the Thunder. (Paul Buck / EPA)
79/100
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who are expecting their first child, take in a Lakers-Nuggets playoff game last spring. (Noel Vasquez / Getty Images)
80/100
Vanessa Bryant and George Lopez react to a play during the Lakers-Knicks game on Christmas Day. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)
81/100
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis swing into action as they’re featured on the Staples Center Kiss Cam during a game between the Lakers and Utah Jazz. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
82/100
Lakers point guard Steve Nash greets George Lopez before the Christmas Day game against the Knicks. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
83/100
Actor Denzel Washington, left, and soccer star David Beckham sit next to one another at a game in 2010. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
84/100
Christina Aguilera catches a Lakers-Thunder game with a friend. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
85/100
Eddie Murphy and Australian model Paige Butcher arrive for a Lakers-Suns game. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
86/100
Galaxy stars David Beckham and Landon Donovan flank Beckham’s son Brooklyn before a Lakers-Heat playoff game. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
87/100
Actor Dustin Hoffman, center, his wife Lisa Gottsegen, left, and producer Jeffrey Katzenberg attend a Lakers-Orlando Magic game in 2010. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
88/100
Model Cindy Crawford, left, baseball player Alex Rodriguez and former pro wrestler Torrie Wilson attend the Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball game. (Paul Buck / EPA)
89/100
Actor Will Farrell attends a Lakers-Cleveland Cavaliers game in 2011. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
90/100
Actors Kevin Connolly, left, and Toby Maguire, center, attend a Lakes-Utah Jazz game in 2008. (Andrew Gombert / EPA)
91/100
Model Heidi Klum sits with her three children during Lakers-New Orleans Hornets game in 2011. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
92/100
Actor Joseph Gordon-Leavitt, center, watches a Lakers-Minnesota Timberwolves game in 2010. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
93/100
Television producer Larry David, left and film director Spike Lee sit courtside before a Lakers-Denver Nuggets game in 2009. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
94/100
Actor Jaden Smith, left, and pop star Justin Bieber attend a Lakers-Houston Rockets game in 2010. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
95/100
First Lady Michelle Obama sits in a booth at Staples Center to watch Game 6 of the Lakers-Celtics Finals series. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
96/100
Comedian Dane Cook and TV host Maria Menounos watch the Lakers-Celtics Game 6 from the stands at Staples. (CJ Gunther / EPA)
97/100
Christina Aguilera checks her cellphone after singing the national anthem at the beginning of Game 6 of the NBA Finals series between the Celtics and the Lakers. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
98/100
Red Hot Chili Pepper Anthony Kiedis hopes to fire up the Lakers in Game 6 at Staples versus the Celtics. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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Rock star Lenny Kravitz brings some celebrity to the Staples stands during Game 6 against the Celtics. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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Actors Diane Lane and Josh Brolin cozy up courtside during the Lakers-Celtics Finals Game 6. (For the record: A an earlier version of the headline above this caption misidentified Josh Brolin as John Brolin.) (CJ Gunther / EPA)
“I like our record. I do,†he said before Friday’s game. “I’d like it to be a little bit better but I don’t consider us struggling.â€
Their record got better Friday, but it wasn’t easy. And beating the Lakers isn’t a milestone anymore, not since they became the 1 in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 1-30 record.
For the Lakers this season must become less about Kobe Bryant’s extended farewell tour and more about developing their young players, even if it means living with sometimes rugged performances. Sometimes they’ll get some good ones: D’Angelo Russell’s 16-point performance was a bright spot Friday for the Lakers, who need to see more of him in crucial situations than Coach Byron Scott has played him so far.
If they’re going to lose — and they are, and often — it makes sense to give Russell and Julius Randle experience when games are close, not when the climb is steeply uphill. They didn’t come back into Friday’s game until late in the third quarter, but they were vital to a run that cut the Clippers’ 28-point lead to eight late in the fourth quarter and brought a grumpy crowd roaring back to life.
“We just competed,†Russell said. “We took it upon ourselves to compete a little bit harder.â€
The Lakers will take any small progress.
“It’s a process that takes the whole year to really figure it out but you really want to break it down into little increments of month to month to see if guys are getting better,†Scott said of bringing along young players. “Sometimes they do and sometimes they take a little slide. It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight.â€
The Clippers had won nine of 11 games before losing three games in a row and then beating the Lakers on Friday. Note that Rivers said he liked his team’s record, not loved it. Turning “like†into “love†is a long way off. It involves not giving up 115 points to San Antonio, not allowing the bottom to fall out against Houston, and staying strong down the stretch against Oklahoma City.
“Probably about 10 wins in a row would help,†Rivers said. “Just more consistency, really. I thought in this stretch we consistently defended and then in these three games I thought we kind of fell off of that. The San Antonio game, we gave up a lot of points. The Houston game, let’s not talk about. Then the Oklahoma game, we couldn’t get stops in the fourth quarter down the stretch.
“When we’re really good we get stops. I thought we had a stretch of that and then it went away and we have to get it back. And when we do that we’ll win games.â€
Jamal Crawford, who scored 13 points off the bench, also said the Clippers haven’t played to their potential.
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Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell drives past Clippers guard Chris Paul during their Christmas Day matchup in 2015. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
2/10
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant tries to split the defense of Clippers guards J.J. Redick, left, and Chris Paul during a drive in the second quarter of a game on Dec. 25.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 3/10
Lakers guard Lou Williams leaps to try to make a pass over Clippers center DeAndre Jordan and guard J.J. Redick.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 4/10
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant makes a pass around Clippers guard J.J. Redick.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 5/10
Guards Chris Paul of the Clippers and D’Angelo Russell of the Lakers try to track down a loose ball.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 6/10
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan fouls Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson in a December game.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 7/10
Lakers forward Julius Randle can’t chase down a loose ball in front of Clippers guard Jamal Crawford during the first half.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 8/10
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant drives around Clippers forward Luc Mbah a Moute during their game Friday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 9/10
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan is fouled by Lakers center Roy Hibbert while trying to score on Friday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 10/10
Clippers forward Blake Griffin makes a pass over Lakers guards Kobe Bryant and D’Angelo Russell during the first half on Dec. 25.
(Chris Carlson / Associated Press) “We’ve shown moments of it. We’ve shown flashes of it but I’m not sure we’ve done it consistently. That’s the task at hand,†he said. “I think we just have to keep working. The more we work on it the more we improve, the more you get that chemistry. We’ll love it at the end of the season if we’re still playing in June.â€
Rivers, who criticized the defense played by the reserves in the fourth quarter, insisted he wasn’t worried about the Clippers’ record.
“I’ve had some teams where I would be panicked now. I’ve had some teams where I’d go to sleep right now,†he said. “They’ll be fine. I think it depends on your team. This is a team that’s just a team in motion. Made a lot of changes. It takes time. I sleep well.â€
Maybe not as well as he’d love to, though.
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Twitter: @helenenothelen
