LA Lakers v. LA Clippers. 6 T’s. 1 Flagrant. 1 Ejection. 1 Head Pat. 1 Shoulder Bump. 1 MMA Grapple. And 2 teams under one roof that are really getting sick of one another. The Lakers and Clippers feel like the roommates that hate each other, but can co-exist because they have opposite schedules. You know, they rarely see each other, their clocks are different, the rent gets paid and they make it work. But on that rare occasion when they do run into one another, it gets ugly fast. And it did. That may have been the best January NBA game ever. Banging, bleeding, jawing, the battle for L.A. has never been this good.

Photos: Kobe

Photos: CP3

Look, this is still a Laker town, and always will be. But make no mistake, this is now a legitimate rivalry, and for the first time ever, the Lakers needed and wanted this one as badly as the Clippers did. That was pretty apparent when Metta World Peace actually made an appearance…, going to the floor in the third quarter, working for side control and trying to get Blake Griffin in a Kimura lock. That was the first time all season I’ve looked at Peace and thought ‘table leg’; thought maybe the cat had changed his name back and just not told anyone. Peace may not be able to bring the (Queensbridge) every night or even once a week anymore, but it’s nice to see a little of the bridge in the building.

Photos: Blake

Photos: Pau

You know, who on that Laker squad who will go: Peace will go. Matt Barnes will go. Even Kobe Bryant will go. What you usually don’t see, though, is classy, sophisticated Pau Gasol running his mouth or getting caught up in anything. But there he was after the win, bumping his gums and patting Chris Paul on the head as if to say, “its ok, little buddy. Don’t be sad: you’ll get it next time.” Get them next time? Paul looked like he wanted to fight Gasol right then and there. And if he had a ladder, he probably would have: quote: “he touched the top of my head and I didn’t like that. You know what I mean, I don’t know if Pau’s got kids, but don’t touch my head like I’m one of your kids. I don’t know what his intentions were, like, ‘I’ll treat him like little Chris’ I don’t know if he’s got kids, but I’m not one of them.” Pau says CP3 has it all wrong: “I’m sorry he felt that way. I do that all the time with my teammates. Nothing mean about it.” Right. And nothing respectful about it either. And I love it. That’s the way it should be; two teams sharing the same building, who hate each other’s guts.

You know it’s personal when Laker honk Andy Garcia is flashing the choke sign at the Clippers when it’s over. And Clipper honk Laverne is in a huge funk baseline. This is still a Laker town; and that’s still a Laker joint: but little bro is coming fast.