NBA Power Rankings: Clippers make a jump; Lakers look a bit more human

In this week’s edition of our NBA Power Rankings, the LA Clippers make a jump and the Los Angeles Lakers look a bit more human

The Los Angeles Lakers may currently hold the best record in the Western Conference, but if there’s one thing we learned from Christmas Day it’s that the LA Clippers still very much own the former.

The Lakers controlled much of the game on Christmas Day, but a furious fourth quarter from the Clippers, along with a few blunders from LA, helped Kawhi Leonard and company improve to 2-0 against the Lakers on the season.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis might very well be the best duo in the Western Conference but, at least at the moment, can’t solve the riddle that has been the Clippers during their first two meetings on the season.

Does that mean that the Clippers are the better team? Perhaps, but that’s not really what’s important right now. Both of these teams are going to look a lot different when the playoffs come around, and the meetings on opening night and Christmas Day won’t mean much.

However, right now, it’s looking more and more like the Clippers have the Lakers’ number. Perhaps most glaring is the fact that when the game matters most, it’s Kawhi Leonard that has taken the game over and not LeBron James.

Keep that in mind for when the playoffs come around.

Let’s get to this week’s NBA Power Rankings, where the Clippers make a jump and the Lakers look a lot more human.