Clippers Vs Lakers: Doncic and James lift Lakers to 125-122 win

In a tightly contested clippers vs lakers matchup, the Lakers held off the Clippers 125-122 in their first game since the All-Star break, a result that left the Lakers at 34-21 and the Clippers at 27-29. Kawhi Leonard exited late with left ankle soreness, and a sequence in the final two minutes swung the outcome in Los Angeles’ favor.

Clippers Vs Lakers: late exit for Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard departed with 5: 10 left in the game because of left ankle soreness after finishing with 31 points on 11-for-19 shooting, 4-for-6 on three-pointers and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. The Clippers continued to press after his exit, cutting into the Lakers’ lead in the closing minutes, but the Lakers protected a slim advantage down the stretch.

Standout performances and numbers

Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 38 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. Austin Reaves scored 29 points on nine-for-15 shooting and supplied a crucial defensive play late. LeBron James finished with 13 points and 11 assists, marking his fifth straight game with 10 or more assists while playing through a sore left knee and a migraine.

Contributions off the bench included Marcus Smart, who scored all seven of his points in the fourth quarter and provided physical defense, and Deandre Ayton, who had 13 points and seven rebounds and completed a lob dunk from James over Clippers center Brook Lopez late in the fourth.

Closing sequence and key plays

With the Lakers leading 118-115 and 1: 49 remaining, Austin Reaves drew a charge on Bennedict Mathurin; it was Mathurin’s sixth foul and removed him from the game after he had scored 26 points. Later, with the Lakers up 125-122 and the ball in the closing seconds, LeBron James’ cross-court pass intended for Doncic was stolen by Nicolas Batum. Batum missed a potential tying three-pointer and James secured the rebound to end the threat. Earlier, Doncic made two free throws with 21. 2 seconds left to build a five-point cushion that ultimately held.

The Lakers had Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves sharing the court together for only the 11th time in 55 games this season, and that trio carried the team in this outing. After the win, Doncic emphasized that chemistry will grow as the group plays together more.

What this means and what to watch next

The result keeps the Lakers ahead at 34-21 and drops the Clippers to 27-29. Observable indicators from the game point to two clear themes to monitor: availability of top players and growing cohesion among the Lakers’ core when they can share the floor. James played through knee soreness and a migraine in this game, while Leonard’s late ankle issue is listed as left ankle soreness and was notable enough to remove him with 5: 10 remaining.

Going forward, key things to watch are whether the Doncic–James–Reaves trio can play together more frequently and whether Leonard’s ankle or James’s knee issues affect short-term availability. If the Lakers continue to assemble that core on the floor, chemistry is likely to improve; conversely, further health interruptions could blunt that potential. Specific next steps and schedules are not detailed here and remain unclear at this time.

Key takeaways:

• Lakers won 125-122; Lakers 34-21, Clippers 27-29.
• Doncic: 38 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds; Reaves: 29 points (9-for-15); James: 13 points, 11 assists.
• Kawhi Leonard left with left ankle soreness with 5: 10 left; Batum missed a tying three in the final possession.