The NBA released its Christmas Day slate, and no surprise, the Lakers (who are also featured on opening night against the Nuggets) are right in the center of it. A marquee time slot hosting the Boston Celtics. The NBA went for tradition in a year where both teams are expected to compete for a title.

Nice.

Not featured? Arguably the most challenging team in the Western Conference, and perhaps the entire league, to predict, the Los Angeles Clippers. Why?

Let's break that, and more, down with Darian Vaziri, the host of Locked On Clippers and the DimeDropper Podcast.

Where have the Clippers gone wrong? Is it just injuries? If they stay healthy, where do they stack up against the rest of the conference? Against the rest of the league? And what about that massive win streak the LAC have against the Lakers? After adding significant wing depth over the last six-plus months, are the Lakers finally built to beat the Clippers head-to-head? If so, how should fans react?

From there, the Daily Mail is reporting that the Kobe Bryant statue is coming to LA Live next August. 8.8.24 to be exact, a date picked for obvious reasons. Now, dig deeper into the story and it's easy to wonder about some of the details, but whatever. It's a chance to talk Kobe with someone who experienced him in a very, very different way. Darian was a kid in Kobe's prime, watching him on TV and experiencing him as kids do their sports heroes (as opposed to the way that sports journalists do the same).

We kick around some of our favorite memories, and talk about the Bryant Experience.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky (Guest, Darian Vaziri)

SEGMENT 1: Lakers vs. Celtics on Christmas... No game for the Clippers.

SEGMENT 2: Is this the season the Lakers break the losing streak?

SEGMENT 3: Remembering Kobe Bryant from very different points of view.

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