Coming off their first win of 2025 Las Vegas Summer League, the Los Angeles Lakers faced the L.A. Clippers in their third game of the exhibition event.
Unlike their first couple of games, the Lakers largely struggled to score against a stifling Clippers defense and they went on to lose 67-58. The Lakers dropped to 1-2 in Las Vegas Summer League play.
The talk of the Lakers’ Summer League so far has been Bronny James as the second-year guard looks far more confident and comfortable on the floor. James has been steadily ramping up his minutes from game to game as he works himself back into game shape, but so far he hasn’t suffered any setbacks and is handling the extra reps well.
Against the Clippers, James put up his best performance of the summer as he was the team’s primary scoring option and shotmaker. James’ best attributes as a player are his defense and instincts on both ends, but he was able to finally break out as a scorer against a Clippers defense that seemed focus on forcing the Lakers into isolation situations.
James kicked off the night with a smooth 3-pointer and went on to knock down a few more that were fairly difficult. He also showed off his burst and finishing ability at the rim, using his athleticism and craft to convert on some tough shots.
The Lakers’ Summer League roster is light on playmaking guards, so James has gotten more chances to be on ball and make decisions with the basketball. It wasn’t always pretty as he finished with three turnovers, but there were a fair amount of reads that he made that seemed indicative of more playmaking potential.
Overall, Bronny turned in an encouraging showing that may put him on track to become a rotation player sooner than later. James finished with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists in 24 minutes.
Meanwhile, Cole Swider continued his hot shooting stretch this summer as he finished right behind Bronny in the scoring department with 16 points. The Clippers were keen on making sure Swider saw a body every time he touched the basketball, but he found ways to get open in the fourth quarter.
Christian Koloko drew the start and while he didn’t put up gaudy numbers, his paint and rim defense stood out.
What’s next for the Lakers
The Lakers will take the floor again on Thursday against the Boston Celtics and then will close out the Las Vegas Summer League with one final game over the weekend.
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