Kawhi Leonard pocketed a rare triple-double in his career, leading a group of 6 LA Clippers players to score over 16 points to defeat the Lakers for the first time this season.
Russell Westbrook tried to put his shoes back on in the middle of the match but failed, forcing him to continue playing with only one shoe on one foot and a sock on the other foot.
The attack continued when Westbrook returned the ball to his left hand, then suddenly launched a 3-point shot. The ball went into the basket amid cheers from the fans at Crypto.com Arena.
Encountering to create the third Los Angeles derby this season, LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers continued to contribute beautiful plays with eye-catching duels performances. This telling shot by Russell Westbrook is a typical example.
In addition to Russ’s long shots, the LA Clippers maintained their sublimation with Kawhi Leonard’s average series of shots, James Harden’s 3-point step-backs and Paul George’s smooth breakthroughs.
On the other side of the field, the Los Angeles Lakers, although missing LeBron James due to injury, still attacked quite well with the strength of Anthony Davis. D’Angelo Russell replaced LeBron in charge, continuing to show “transfer season form”.
Russell even had a highlight defensive phase when he drowned Harden’s scoring attempt in the fourth quarter. But on the day LeBron James did not play, the hole he left was too big and the Lakers could not fill it.
After two consecutive losses to the Lakers this season, the LA Clippers finally won 127-116 in the third meeting.
Kawhi Leonard pocketed a triple-double of 25 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds, and James Harden (23 points, 10 assists) led a group of 6 different LA Clippers players scoring over 16 points in this match.
On the other side of the front line, Anthony Davis had a double-double of 26 points (12-20 FG), 12 rebounds and 2 assists, and D’Angelo Russell contributed 27 points and 12 assists on the day for the entire starting lineup of the Los Angeles Lakers. All reached the 10 point mark.
The LA Clippers were the team that took the initiative for most of the match, maintaining a gap of 8-12 points from the second half to the end of the third half. The Los Angeles Lakers persistently pursued even without LeBron James and kept the match. within reach.
By the last 12 minutes of the match, the Lakers defended well to narrow the gap from double digits to just 2 points (108-110). However, they could not take advantage of this opportunity because they “got cold” at the crucial moment, unable to score points in 8 consecutive attacks.
The flag went to the Clippers and they raised it, creating a series of 9-0 scores to regain control of the game and then won the final with a difference of 11 points.
This is a victory with important spiritual significance for the LA Clippers. Not only did they defeat their city rival for the first time after three encounters, but they were also full of energy, ready for a trip of 7 consecutive away matches.
As for the Los Angeles Lakers, despite the loss, the team brought positive signs. LeBron James is expected to be able to return this weekend when hosting the Chicago Bulls next Friday morning.