On paper, the gap between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2025-26 season seems significant. While the Purple and Gold have consistently been among the top six seed, the latter have authored one of the league’s most compelling underdog stories, going from 6-21 to 22-24.
That resurgence has fueled so much hype that Paul Pierce went as far as to boldly claim that if the two city rivals were to meet in the playoffs, it would be a one-sided affair – one in which Luka Doncic & Co. will be harshly reminded that they haven’t made any strides forward.
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Pierce picks the Clippers over the Lakers
Their regular-season series, so far, has depicted a more layered story. While the Lakers did end up getting the better of the Clippers in their first meeting, the latter bounced back to emphatically win the next two games after restricting the Lakers, who are known for their offensive prowess, to 88 and 104 points, respectively.
Now, with the Clippers registering the best record in the league during January 2026 and having won 16 of their last 19 games, Pierce insisted that if this version of the Clippers team were to face an inconsistent Lakers squad in the postseason, the outcome would heavily favor the former.
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Not only did the former Finals MVP predict that the Clippers would either clean or gentleman-sweep the Lakers, but his assessment held regardless of whether the Lakers had all their stars on the court, simply because of his newfound confidence in the ascending Clippers team.
“They’ll swipe the Lakers. We just saw the Lakers get a gentleman sweep versus Minnesota last year,” Pierce said. “Gentleman sweep like a baker’s dozen.”
The Lakers need to make small tweaks
Pierce has the right to hold his opinion, as the Lakers’ flaws are undeniably glaring, particularly on the defensive end. Their tendency to completely switch off for stretches, such as conceding 40-plus points in a single quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers most recently, underscores the urgent need for a true defensive anchor.
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Clearly, their primary big man, DeAndre Ayton, as things stand, does not fill that role. So, if JJ Redick’s teamwere to acquire someone like Daniel Gafford, it could fundamentally change their ceiling, allowing them to control games instead of constantly chasing them or letting contests drift into clutch-time chaos.
Equally important is the return of Austin Reaves. Until the Lakers’ Big 3 spend time on the court consistently, it is premature to dismiss their postseason aspirations just yet. After all, the Clippers did face the heat of what they could achieve when AR, Luka Doncic and LeBon James combined for 99 points in their first meeting of the season.
So, while Piecre may be quick to belittle the Lakers right now, one key factor is that the team still has the entirety of the second half to find its best combination and rhythm. All they need is to make sure they make minor tweaks and get their stars back to prime health and the results will follow.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.