Los Angeles Clippers advisor Jerry West is just as excited as any Angeleno to see his team and its hallway neighbor Los Angeles Lakers fight for the crown in LA. The longtime Lakers icon and Hall of Famer gave LeBron James a nod, noting these two teams boasting high-octane talent only bodes well for the product in Los Angeles.

“I think LeBron James said it best: It’s the best for basketball fans in Southern California right now,” said West, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. “I’m sure Christmas Day (between the Lakers and Clippers) is going to be a huge day for basketball watching in Southern California, and we should – barring any injuries – we should be at full health and hopefully they’ll be at full health. But it’s a great time to be a basketball fan in Los Angeles, because who are you going to root for?”

The duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard could make things interesting in Los Angeles after the Lakers' all-time dominance and the Clippers' recent emergence as the best team in Los Angeles.

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Both teams boast two high-powered superstars and have the potential to wind up in the top four of a loaded Western Conference. The Paul George-less Clippers drew first blood with a win during the season opener, but the Lakers have since railed seven straight wins before a loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

The Lakers still lead the Western Conference with a 7-2 record, but their Christmas matchup will be a surging point in the season for either of these franchises, one that could determine who made the best offseason moves as both LA teams approach the playoffs.