Clipper Darrell: Lakers Could Have Better Record than Clippers “On Paper”

Clipper Darrell spent media day this year not just with the L.A. Clippers, but also at the Los Angeles Lakers’ facility. Why would a “superfan” be invited to media day? It’s unclear. Why would he be invited to another team’s media day? It’s... really unclear.

While at the Lakers’ media day, however, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN caught up with Darrell and asked him who would have a better record this year, the Clippers or the Lakers. Darrell, much to Shelburne’s suprise, said that the Lakers could have the better record “on paper,” which is a really interesting way of putting it because there’s no such thing as an off-paper record. Your record is what it is.

Now, you could be a team that’s better than another team “on paper,” but due to injuries or dysfunction ends up having a worse record (see the Steve Nash/Dwight Howard Lakers). Or, you could be a team that has a better record than another, but in reality analysts don’t consider to be as good (see Boston and Cleveland last season). But I’m not sure that one team can have a better record than another “on paper.” That would just mean... having a better record.