The Lakers did not need a perfect night to win the first Battle of Los Angeles of the season. They just needed one decisive quarter, another controlled finish and enough offense to survive their own mistakes.
Los Angeles beat the LA Clippers 125-117 on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, improving to 2-0 after its season-opening rout of the Golden State Warriors. Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 28 points and nine assists, Walker Kessler delivered 22 points and six blocks, and Luka Dončić added 23 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Austin Reaves controls the game
Reaves was the Lakers’ most efficient and composed offensive player. He shot 10 of 13 from the field, made three of five attempts from behind the arc and went 5 of 6 at the free-throw line. He also added two steals and finished with a plus-14 rating.
The nine assists mattered as much as the scoring. Reaves consistently found the next pass when the Clippers loaded up on Dončić, and he punished defenders whenever they gave him space. The Lakers shot 58.2 percent overall and finished with 29 assists, numbers that reflect how comfortably they created quality looks for most of the night.
A third-quarter surge decides it
The game was tied 64-64 at halftime after the Clippers won the opening quarter 31-27 and the Lakers answered with a 37-point second. Then the Lakers took control.
Los Angeles outscored the Clippers 39-26 in the third quarter, turning a tight game into a 103-90 advantage entering the fourth. The offense found its rhythm, the defense created disruption and the Lakers finally separated from a Clippers team that had matched them shot for shot through two quarters.
The Clippers made one final push, cutting the margin to 123-117 with 53 seconds remaining. Quentin Grimes answered by making two free throws, and Dončić blocked Darius Garland on the next possession to close the door.
Walker Kessler owns the paint
Kessler’s stat line showed exactly why his presence changes the Lakers on both ends. The center scored 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds, collected three steals and blocked six shots. His plus-18 rating was the best on the team.
He provided a dependable finishing target around the basket and erased mistakes at the other end. With Kessler anchoring the interior, the Lakers finished with nine blocks and made the Clippers work for everything near the rim.
The supporting cast also delivered. Ziaire Williams scored 14 points, Matisse Thybulle added 13 with three 3-pointers, and Grimes finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Collin Sexton scored five points in 16 minutes in his Lakers debut.
The turnover problem cannot be ignored
The Lakers’ 21 turnovers kept this from becoming an easy win. Dončić committed 11 and Reaves had six, an alarming total for the team’s two primary creators. Against a sharper opponent, that kind of carelessness can erase even an elite shooting night.
The Lakers survived because the Clippers were even looser with the ball. They forced 25 turnovers, including nine from Garland, who otherwise led the Clippers with 26 points and six assists. Brook Lopez scored 22 points off the bench, Derrick Jones Jr. added 16 and former Laker Rui Hachimura had 16 points and six rebounds on 5-of-14 shooting in his first game against his old team.
Two wins, two statements
The opening-week sample remains small, but the Lakers have already shown two encouraging ways to win. They overwhelmed Golden State in the opener, then beat the Clippers despite 21 turnovers by leaning on efficient offense, interior defense and a dominant third quarter.
There is plenty for the coaching staff to clean up, especially with the ball in Dončić’s hands. Still, 2-0 is 2-0, and this one carried a little extra weight. The Lakers took the first city matchup of the season, protected their home floor and looked like the better team when the game demanded separation.
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