For the past several seasons, the L.A. Clippers have owned the Los Angeles Lakers in the regular season as they had beaten the purple and gold in 11 consecutive matchups.
So it was no surprise that the Laker fanbase was riled up for their first head-to-head matchup of the 2023-24 season. Early on, it looked like the Lakers were going to drop their 12th game to the Clippers but they fought back in the second half and eventually won in an overtime thriller to snap their losing streak.
The Lakers were down at halftime by 13 after a sluggish first half, but they found their rhythm on both ends in the third quarter as they outscored the Clippers by 15 points. However, the Lakers missed several free throws late in the fourth quarter to open up a small window for the Clippers to come back and force overtime.
The extra period felt like a disaster scenario for the Lakers, who had worked hard to climb back into the game, but fortunately they were able to hold off the Clippers and pick up their third win of the season.
LeBron James was his usual superstar self as he led the team in scoring with 35 points on 13-of-19 from the field including 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. James picked up steam in the third quarter when he was able to get to the rim on multiple occasions.
James was everywhere on the floor as he pulled down 12 defensive rebounds, dished out seven assists, and chipped defensively with one steal and two blocks.
D’Angelo Russell had another stellar offensive performance as his shooting in the first half kept the Lakers from ever falling too far behind. Russell finished the night with 27 points but also handed out six assists.
Anthony Davis played a large part in the win with his two-way dominance, walling off the paint and taking advantage of his size and length in the paint offensively. Davis matched Russell with 27 points, but he also collected 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal and four blocks.
With the team shorthanded, Christian Wood stepped up off the bench and continued to flash real utility on both ends of the floor. Wood also recorded a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes of action.
What’s next for Lakers
The Lakers now have two days off before they embark on a four-game road trip starting this Saturday against the Orlando Magic. They’ll then travel to take on the Miami Heat on Monday.
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