"It was a funny time for a playoff feeling with a handful of days left in January, but the calendar was suddenly flipped several months ahead Wednesday at Staples Center.

The Lakers pushed and pulled, defending the territory they worked so hard to build over the decades, suddenly dragged out of their season-long stupor by the Clippers.

Then they won, 96-91, with unlikely heroes in Metta World Peace, Andrew Goudelock and, yes, the slumping Pau Gasol, who rediscovered his game."