If you're lucky enough to visit LA and fancy seeing a basketball game, then it has long been the case that securing tickets for the LA Clippers is pretty straightforward. If you want to go to the Lakers – along with its small army of Hollywood-based celebrity fans – then it's a different story. And yet, right now, it is the Clippers who are LA's best team, with a place in the Playoffs all but assured.

In contrast, The Lakers are mired in a mid-table malaise despite the presence of star names such as Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard. Granted, Howard has only recently come back from injury but he has yet to rediscover his old spark.

Most critics point to the tactics of coach Mike D'Antoni, who recently benched Gasol in favour of Earl Clark. Bryant reckons: "We need to go back to basics. We need to put guys in positions to do what they do best. We need to strip it down."

When your star man is openly critical of the coach's methods then, more often than not, player power wins the argument.

Tune in on Sunday to see if Bryant & Co can stop the rot. Failing that you can always look out for the A-listers sitting courtside at the Home Depot Center...