On Sunday, Clippers fans saw something they haven’t ever seen: a division title. Since the Clippers were created back in 1970 they have been known mainly as the laughing stock of the league. After a few years of bouncing around to Buffalo and then San Diego, they made Los Angeles their home.

Unfortunately for them, they had to take the backseat to Laker nation and watch as they won multiple championships. However, the tides have greatly changed in the past year in L.A. On Sunday the two L.A. teams faced off against each other in a game with huge playoff implications for both.

The Clippers handled the Lakers with ease, finishing off their season sweep of Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, winning the game 109-95. This marked the first time the Clippers swept the Lakers in the regular season since 1974 when they were then known as the Buffalo Braves. Chris Paul, who will surely be up for MVP consideration this year, controlled the flow and tempo of the game as he filled up the stat sheet with 24 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, and three steals.

Paul has undoubtedly played a huge role in the Clippers turn around; since he joined the team in 2011 they have had 40 back-to-back win seasons for the first time since 1992 and now have their first 50-win season in franchise history. Despite the team’s first division title there was no celebration in Staples Center on Sunday. “It just feels like something we were supposed to do” Paul noted, “It means we’re headed in the right direction. We’re not satisfied. We understand this is something small compared to the big picture.” Winning the division guarantees a top-four seed in the playoffs for the Clips, another achievement never done before in franchise history.

On the other hand, the loss for the Lakers was a huge blow as they have now moved out of the 8th seed into 9th and as of now out of the playoffs. With the Clippers winning the division and the Lakers still fighting to just reach the playoffs it seems as if the new favorite in L.A. is the young and highflying Clippers.

Photo credit: NBA.com

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It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers have had their eye on Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard for quite a while now. But according to multiple sources, Howard’s agent, Donald Fegan, has told the Lakers organization this week that his client would not sign a contract extension with them if they were to land him in a deal before the March 15^th trade deadline.

No specific reason has been given regarding this, but the overwhelming consensus is that Howard has no desire to play second-fiddle to Kobe Bryant out in L.A. Howard has established himself as the league’s best center for several years now, and has always been the number one offensive option in Orlando.

Howard’s unwillingness to sign an extension with Los Angeles might have knocked the wheels right off a rumored trade between the Lakers and Magic, that John Cherwa of the L.A. Times reported earlier this week. In the article, Cherwa states that the Lakers, Magic, and Toronto Raptors were constructing a three-way deal, which would ship Howard to the Lakers on March 1^st.

In return, the Magic would receive the two Laker All Star big men, center Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, along with point guard Jose Calderon from the Raptors. In addition to Howard, the Lakers would also get Magic point guard Jameer Nelson and forward Hedo Turkoglu. It had not been determined what the Raptors would get out of the deal.

Howard’s indecisiveness concerning the idea of either leaving or staying in Orlando before 2013 arrives has been one of the major storylines throughout this shortened NBA season.

If he were to leave central Florida, it is well-known that the teams appearing to be contenders for his services are the Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets.

Upon hearing the latest from Howard’s agent, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak is now left with one of the most difficult decisions that he will ever have to make if Howard and the Magic ultimately decide to split ways before the deadline.

He will have to decide – if the Magic and Howard do decide to go in different directions – whether or not he is willing to risk giving up excellent assets such as Bynum and Gasol, in hopes that the front office could convince Howard to change his mind once again and sign a long-term deal with the Lakers.

The reward, if the Lakers are able to acquire Howard and successfully lock him up, could be the presence of a similar matchup problem that teams faced against Los Angeles during the Kobe-Shaq days of the early 2000’s. O’Neal was also the league’s dominant center during that era, and alongside Bryant the two were able to win three consecutive titles from 2000-2002, establishing a powerful dynasty.

Laker fans could certainly envision their team making this type of run with Howard at center.

But the risk might be far too great. Kupchak’s biggest fear is putting his team in the same position that the Nets have now found themselves in, with All Star point guard Deron Williams.

New Jersey gave up a multitude of young pieces and draft picks in order to bring in Williams, despite not receiving confirmation that he would sign a contract extension that would keep him with them past the 2012 season. If Williams chooses to leave the currently non-contending Nets this summer in free agency, the trade would have essentially been for nothing.

That’s exactly the situation that might keep Kupchak from pulling the trigger on a Howard deal.

If Kupchak has an opportunity to get Howard into a Laker uniform, his final decision will either turn him into one of the most loved men in all of southern California, or one of the most hated and unemployed in the area.

Let’s see if Howard and the Magic give him that chance.

Image Courtesy  of    http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/

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Teams are making their final push for seeding in the NBA playoffs which are just weeks away, beginning April 16. Teams are preparing for the home stretch of the season, but also have an eye on where they sit in the standings, and what type of draw they will have come playoff time. The Western Conference has several intriguing matchups that should result in thrilling basketball as a carryover from March Madness.

No. 1 Spurs vs. No. 8 Grizzlies: The Spurs have been a surprising team this year, having the best record in the NBA. They still have the main components of their championship teams with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. Although the eighth seed could be the Jazz, Rockets, or Suns, the Grizzlies have the berth for now. The Grizzlies have some nice pieces down low with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, and point guard Mike Conley is finally coming around. The Spurs are just too veteran of a team and have played so well this year that they won’t have a first round letdown. This is a team that has been there before and with Richard Jefferson making them a more athletic team, they will muscle their way into the next round, and compete to play in the Finals.

No. 2 Lakers vs. No. 7 Hornets: The defending champions, the Lakers, are one of the deepest, most complete teams in the NBA. Even if they don’t have the best record in the regular season, they are built to win in the post-season and they will be tough to beat, no matter who the opponent is. The Lakers have great big men, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, a good defender, rebounder and scorer in Ron Artest, experience and smarts in Derek Fisher, and possibly the best player in the NBA, Kobe Bryant. That’s not even mentioning the type of talent they bring off their bench, guys who would start for many other teams. The Hornets have put together a nice season this year, and have good forwards, David West and Trevor Ariza. Chris Paul runs the show, and will give Fisher all that he can handle, but the depth of the Lakers, along with the experience and ‘it’ factor of Kobe Bryant, will place this team in position to go much deeper than the first round. They will most likely represent the West once again this season.

No. 3 Mavericks vs. No. 6 Trailblazers: The Mavericks have had a solid year this season, and have a little different look to their team. Dirk Nowitzki leads the team, but a solid supporting cast with future Hall-of-Famer Jason Kidd, and shooter Peja Stojakovic, the Mavs are a bit more complete, balancing experience with youth and athleticism. Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler, and Shawn Marion round out a great bench, and help to add a different dynamic to the floor with their presence. The Trailblazers have had an up-and-down season, and star guard Brandon Roy’s numbers were down as he struggled to stay healthy. Marcus Camby and Andre Miller bring some experience, and Gerald Wallace provides a nice compliment to LaMarcus Aldridge at the forward position. The Mavericks just have too much offense for the Blazers though, and should slide past Portland, although the series should be tough and could go six or seven games.

No. 4 Thunder vs. No. 5 Nuggets: These teams will face off twice before the regular season concludes, April 5, and 8, and will be very familiar with each other’s tendencies. The Nuggets look so different with the gaping hole left by Carmelo Anthony’s departure, but they have continued to play good basketball. The team has good guards and forwards, and Ty Lawson adds a burst off the bench. If Kenyon Martin can step his game up, and Danilo Gallinari continues to have a good year, the Nuggets could pose a threat to an overly talented young Thunder squad. The addition of Kendrick Perkins was huge for the Thunder, adding size and playoff experience to a young, hungry team who gave the Lakers all they could handle in the first round last year. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are the two stars that everybody talks about. Without Carmelo, the Nuggets will have trouble keeping up with Thunder, and Perkins will pose serious problems for Denver down low. This will be a battle, as the 4 vs. 5 matchup usually is, but the young stars of the Thunder will carry them on, becoming a nightmare for a top seed in the next round.

This should be a year of great matchups in the West, as every team brings a winning record to the playoff table. The Western Conference boasts the defending champion Lakers, and the best record in the NBA, the Spurs. The team that makes it out of the conference will pose a serious threat to the East, and most likely be the favorite to win it all in the end.

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