The Los Angeles Lakers and L.A. Clippers have fought for territory in the city for well over a decade now, and while the rivalry has died down a bit it’s still theater whenever the two teams meet.
The Lakers hosted the Clippers for an Emirates NBA Cup group play game on Tuesday night, but the implications for both teams were huge. A win for the Lakers would clinch the group, while a Clippers win would have given them a shot to clinch it for themselves. Both teams entered the primetime matchup 2-0 in group play, so the Lakers knew they’d have a fight on their hands despite the Clippers’ paltry regular season record.
As is the case in almost every game between the two L.A. squads, neither side was able to pull away. Defense was almost non-existent as the Lakers and Clippers scored almost at will so the game naturally came down to the fourth quarter.
Fortunately for the purple and gold, the “Big 3” showed up in crunch time and the Lakers went on to win 135-118. The Lakers won West Group B and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup with the victory.
Luka Doncic was riled up from the start as he was seen barking at the Clippers bench. The chirping ignited Doncic from the get go as he caught fire from the beyond the arc. While the Clippers managed to build a lead, Doncic made sure the Lakers stayed within striking distance by hitting shot after shot.
The Clippers found ways to slow down Doncic in the second half, though the latter still found ways to affect the game as a playmaker. Overall, the Clippers simply had no answer for Doncic who turned in a massive stat line of 43 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds.
Austin Reaves sat back and watched Doncic score in the first half, but he came alive in the fourth quarter with his co-star on the bench. Like Doncic, Reaves seemed to get more into the game after having calls go against him and he made the Clippers pay with several baskets in a row.
Reaves was the perfect complementary scorer to Doncic as he poured in 31 points to go along with nine rebounds and three assists.
LeBron James rounded out the star trio’s performance with a strong showing of his own. James continues to show improvements physically as he got up and down the floor well, making plays on both ends.
James pitched in with 25 points, six rebounds and six assists.
What’s next for the Lakers
The Lakers will host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in their final Emirates NBA Cup group play game before seeing the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
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