Banners representing the 11 NBA championships that Lakers have won since moving to Los Angeles from Minneapolis in 1960 hang from the rafters during all home games - even those of the Clippers.
The Clippers, who also share the building with the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings and WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks are the only franchise with no championship banners hanging in the Staples Center - not even a division title.
In the "Star Plaza" leading to the entrance of the Staples are statues of Lakers legends Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Late longtime Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn has a statue, as does Kings star Wayne Gretzky and boxer Oscar De La Hoya.
At this pace, former Sparks legend Lisa Leslie, who won two WNBA titles and four Olympic gold medals, will get a statue before anyone affiliated with the Clippers franchise.
The Clippers have made the playoffs just five times since moving to Los Angeles from San Diego in 1984. The Lakers have only missed the playoffs twice in the same span.
The teams have met 128 times since the Clippers moved to Los Angeles with the Lakers holding a 97-31 advantage. The Clippers have won a season-series against the Lakers just once (1992-93) and they have split twice (2005 and 2007).
"A rivalry has to be evenly matched," Clippers All-Star forward Blake Griffin has conceded, "and this one hasn't been over the years."
But currently, there's a shift in the NBA fortunes in Tinseltown.
Behind the play of Griffin and fellow All-Star Chris Paul, the Clippers, who crushed the Sixers, 107-90, Monday night at the Wells Fargo Center, are reigning in Los Angeles, while the Lakers are struggling to hold together what has become a disastrous season.
Going into this weekend's All-Star break the Clippers lead the Pacific Division and have the third-best record in the Western Conference, behind San Antonio and Oklahoma City.
Their winning percentage is fourth best in the league behind San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Miami.
They've even got a catchy nickname - Lob City - thanks to their exciting style of play.
Did I mention the part about the franchise never having won a division title since coming into existence as the Buffalo Braves in 1970?
In a shocking reversal of history, if the playoffs started today, it would be the Lakers, and not the Clippers, on the outside looking in.
Against the Sixers, the Clippers were missing valuable guard Chauncey Billups and forward Caron Butler. They've only had their full complement of key players together for two games this season.
Monday, Paul scored 21 points and Griffin and Jamal Crawford added 20 each as the Clippers (37-17) coasted to an easy win. The Clippers are positioned to make consecutive playoff appearances for the first time since 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons.
Meanwhile, the Lakers continue to be the most disappointing and enigmatic team in the league.
Adding future Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash and All-Star center Dwight Howard was supposed to elevate the Lakers back into title contention.
But this dysfunctional group quickly cost head coach Mike Brown his job, and is making coach Mike D'Antoni look clueless.
The Lakers are 24-28 and 3 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
And worst, if Howard and Kobe Bryant can't work out their personality clashes, the center can walk away as an unrestricted free agent, destroying the Lakers' long-term plans.
The Clippers have already beaten the Lakers twice and could clinch just their second season-series with a win on the road - but at home - on Thursday.
The Lakers are always going to be LA's team. But, with Bryant nearing retirement and a transition plan that ironically included Paul until NBA commissioner David Stern canceled a trade for him from New Orleans, it is the Clippers who, for once, have a chance to bring a title to Los Angeles.
With Griffin having recently signed a 5-year extension through 2017, the Clippers only need to convince Paul to accept a 5-year extension worth $108 million that they can offer him in July.
Paul turned down a 3-year extension worth $60 million but noted that was just a $48 million business decision.
All indications are that he will be content to team with Griffin and help the Clippers to finally get some championship banners of their own to hang from the rafters of the Staples Center.
Email: smallwj@phillynews.comColumns: philly.com/Smallwood
