The third quarter decides it
The Lakers beat the Clippers 125-117 on Friday night, and the game turned on a single quarter. Los Angeles scored 39 points in the third on 72.7 percent shooting, including a 14-1 run that stretched the lead to 91-77. The two teams had been level at 64-64 at halftime.
That win lifts the Lakers to 2-0 and extends their recent edge in the city rivalry: they have now taken nine of their last 13 meetings with the Clippers. Austin Reaves led the way with 28 points and 9 assists. Luka Doncic scored 23, with 16 of them before the break, though he also coughed up 11 turnovers.
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Kessler keeps scoring, Clippers run out of road
Walker Kessler gave the Lakers 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting and 8 rebounds. Across two games since arriving in a July trade from Utah, he is 22 of 26 from the field. Ziaire Williams scored 14, and Matisse Thybulle and Quentin Grimes each had 13.
Los Angeles shot 58.2 percent overall and 43.8 percent from three, and its defense forced 26 turnovers that became 33 points. The Clippers shot well themselves, 49.4 percent and 43.2 from deep, and Darius Garland scored 26 while Brook Lopez added 22. Derrick Jones Jr. and Rui Hachimura had 16 each.
Clippers fans had a late scare in mind. An 8-0 run cut the gap to 119-113 before Grimes made his free throws to close it out. It was the Clippers’ first road loss of the season, and the Lakers needed every one of those defensive stops to get it.
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