Kobe Bryant has missed 24 games in the last seven seasons.
2014 could be Kobe Bryant's final NBA season. Reuters

The Lakers have two more chances to avoid ending the preseason without a victory.

Los Angeles has started the exhibition season 0-6, with two games left. They’ll play the Clippers on Wednesday night at 10:30 p.m. ET.

If L.A. wants to avoid losing seven straight games, they’ll have to do it without their two best players. Kobe Bryant will sit for the rest of the preseason with an injured foot. After playing his first exhibition game, Dwight Howard’s back will keep him out of the contest.

Metta World Peace and Jordan Hill have also been dealing with injuries.

The Lakers have had a lot of trouble scoring in the preseason. They are second-to-last, averaging 85.7 points per game. Bryant is responsible for a majority of those points, putting up 20.4 points per contest. He’s played very well, putting up those numbers in just 26.8 minutes per game, on 50 percent shooting from the field.

Howard made a big impact in his first action with Los Angeles. He scored 19 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked four shots in his Lakers debut.

The Clippers are 3-3 on the 2012 preseason. They’ve had some trouble scoring, but should do better against a Lakers team that’s allowing 103 points per contest.

Chris Paul is second in the NBA, averaging 8.0 assists in the preseason. Blake Griffin is putting up 15 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

The Clippers are expected to win the game. The consensus betting line at multiple Las Vegas sportsbooks has them as 4.5-point favorites.

The game will air nationally on NBATV. If you can’t get to a TV, You can watch a free live stream online of the contest by clicking here.

Prediction: With Bryant and Howard on the bench, it will be very difficult for the Lakers to get a victory. With the regular season quickly approaching, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol won’t get too many minutes. This game could be a blow out in the fourth quarter.

Predicted Score: L.A. Clippers 104, L.A. Lakers 84

NBA