The star-studded Los Angeles Lakers are off to their first 0-3 start in 34 years after a thrashing from the Los Angeles Clippers, whose younger stars are shining a whole lot brighter so far.

So, Kobe Bryant, when is it time to push the panic button on this grand experiment?

"Now," he said.

Chris Paul had 18 points and 15 assists, Jamal Crawford scored 21 points and the Clippers beat the Lakers 105-95 on Friday night to keep their Staples Center co-tenants winless.

Bryant later said he was only joking about that panic button, but it's tough not to worry about a team that still hasn't walked off any court together with a victory.

Bryant scored 40 points and Dwight Howard had 13 points and eight rebounds while battling constant foul trouble for the Lakers, who are 0-3 for just the fourth time in franchise history. Steve Nash sat out with a bruised left leg for the Lakers, who have followed up their 0-8 preseason with three losses in four days.

"We need a win, obviously," Lakers coach Mike Brown said. "I'm not trying to fool anyone here. That's part of the reason Kobe played the minutes he played, which is too many."

Bryant logged 43 minutes on his bruised foot. While soaking it in ice after the game, he said it "felt like it's about to fall off."

"We're not supposed to coast and assume things are going to fix themselves," Bryant said. "You've got to push at it. We've just got to keep working on what we do."

The Clippers are no strangers to franchise turmoil, yet they coolly snapped a nine-game "road" losing streak against the Lakers dating to April 12, 2007.

(China Daily 11/04/2012 page7)