I don't know where all the pessimism related to the Lakers game is coming from.
Last year, we played them in the last week of the season, totally meaningless game, and they trounced us, with their starters in for the first 3 quarters. They played their starters right through the last game of the season.
The year before, they played us for the last game of the season. Used their starters, won.
In their most recent game, which was meaningless, they played their starters for full minutes even though they were getting whipped by the Spurs, and could have just let it go.
I really doubt that they're going to throw away a game to us in Staples. It's not their pattern. Jack Nicholson would be beating the snot out of Phil Jackson, but nobody would be able to hear the fight over the booing, y'know?
I just can't see it going that way. Clippers? Sure. Lakers, no.