Luka, LeBron lead Lakers past Clippers 135-118 for 5th straight win, clinching their NBA Cup group.

The Los Angeles Derby Redefines the Race for the NBA Cup

The clash between the Lakers and the Clippers is always an event full of stakes, but Tuesday night’s game took on a special significance within the framework of the new NBA Cup (also called the In-Season Tournament). In front of an electric crowd, the Los Angeles Lakers not only won the game 135-118, but more importantly, secured the top spot in their group, validating their ticket for the knockout stage of this unprecedented tournament.

This was a victory built on a supersonic offensive start led by Luka Dončić and sealed by a display of collective strength in the fourth quarter. The flattering final score should not obscure the fierce battle of the first three periods. How did the Lakers, led by a trio of stars on fire, manage to turn a close contest into a historic blowout against their Crypto.com Arena rivals? And what does this success reveal about their ambitions in the NBA’s newest format?

A First Act of Pure Offense: The Offensive Duel and the Luka Dončić Show

The game started at a frantic pace, with defenses noticeably absent, turning the first quarter into a genuine shooting contest.

A. The Luka Dončić Storm: 20 Points in the First Quarter

The start of the evening was entirely dominated by the explosiveness of the Lakers’ offense, expertly orchestrated by their star point guard, Luka Dončić.

• A Historic Start: Luka literally set the game on fire, scoring 20 points in the first quarter alone. His performance from behind the arc was surgically precise, draining five three-pointers in the space of twelve minutes. He quickly outpaced his opponents and powered the Lakers into the game, combining with Rui Hachimura to score 11 of the team’s first 15 points.
• The Lack of Defense: This offensive rhythm reflected a defensive failure on both sides. Both teams registered field goal percentages above 50%, a clear sign that defensive systems were not yet in place.
• The Clippers’ Response: The Clippers, led by a solid James Harden (8 points in the first period), managed to stay within striking distance. A three-pointer from Harden even gave them a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

B. A Balanced Second Period: The Rise of LeBron and Reaves

The second quarter maintained the offensive intensity without either team managing to pull away significantly.

• The Harden Challenge: James Harden continued to be the Clippers’ only consistent scoring threat, reaching 17 points by halftime, while his teammates struggled to find solutions.
• The Lakers’ Awakening: On the Lakers’ side, Austin Reaves scored a crucial five points to halt a slight Clippers run. More importantly, LeBron James, quiet initially (only 4 points from the free-throw line), started to heat up, adding five points to reach 9 points in that quarter alone.
• Slight Advantage: Despite identical shooting efficiency ($21/36$), the Purple and Gold managed to hold a three-point lead at the half, a sign that the game’s balance was precarious.

The Decisive Turning Point: The Fourth Quarter Explosion and the Question of Emotional Dislocation

While the first two periods were a back-and-forth affair, the fourth quarter marked the definitive break and the culmination of tension.

A. The Third Quarter Duel and Rising Tension

The third quarter saw the Lakers gain the upper hand, thanks notably to Luka’s seventh three-pointer, extending the lead to 10 points. However, the Clippers showed a proud reaction:

• The Clippers’ Counter: A 9-0 run allowed the Clippers to completely erase their deficit. A successful midrange jumper from Kawhi Leonard even gave them a brief one-point lead, signaling a tight finish.
• Maintaining Course: Nevertheless, the Lakers finished the period with a five-point lead, maintaining minimal psychological pressure before the final period.

B. The Final Blowout: 37-24 and the Clippers’ Collapse

The fourth quarter was a demonstration of the Lakers’ depth and collective power, as they dominated their rivals 37-24 to seal the victory.

• Reaves’ Leadership: Austin Reaves took over the offensive load, notably with three quick free throws at the start of the period, launching a 10-4 run that put the Lakers back up by double digits. Reaves scored 12 points in this quarter alone, bringing his total to 31 points for the night.
• The Incident and the Ejection: With 3 minutes and 33 seconds left, tension peaked. A skirmish erupted between Kris Dunn (Clippers), Luka Dončić, and Jaxson Hayes (Lakers). This incident resulted in Dunn’s ejection and a technical foul on Hayes. This moment of friction, far from halting the Lakers’ momentum, seemed to further disjoint the Clippers.
• The Highlight Reel Finish: The game was definitively sealed when Luka Dončić threw a spectacular lob pass to Jaxson Hayes, who finished with a thunderous dunk.

Following this, both teams emptied their benches, even allowing Drew Timme, a recently signed two-way forward, to score his first points for the Lakers in garbage time.

Key Statistics: A Star Trio on Fire and the Importance of Three-Point Shooting

The numbers speak for themselves and confirm that this victory was not random, but the result of a historical offensive performance.

A. The Lakers’ Unstoppable Trio

The victory rests on the exceptional performance of three key Lakers players, each crossing impressive statistical thresholds:

• A Trio Scoring 99 Points: The combined points total of Dončić, Reaves, and James reached 99, representing nearly 73% of the Lakers’ total offense. This is the kind of dominance a team needs to win big games.
• Distribution: Dončić, in addition to being a prodigious scorer, flirted with a triple-double with 9 rebounds and 13 assists, proving his ability to orchestrate the game.

B. The Rest of the Team’s Contribution

Even though the game was dominated by the trio, the role players did their job:

• Rui Hachimura: Solid, he scored 13 points with an excellent shooting percentage of 66.7% ($6/9$), contributing to the offensive fluidity.
• Jaxson Hayes: Stepping into the starting lineup in place of Deandre Ayton, Hayes contributed 8 points, concluding the game with the spectacular alley-oop.
• The Clippers: On the Clippers’ side, only James Harden (17 points by halftime) seemed capable of competing in terms of scoring. The failure of other key players to reach double digits mid-game weighed heavily.

Consequences and Outlook: The New NBA Tournament and the Lakers’ Ambitions

This victory has major immediate implications not only for team morale but also for the remainder of the season.

A. NBA Cup Qualification Secured

The main goal of the evening was to secure qualification. Thanks to this dominant victory, the Lakers clinched the top spot in their group in the NBA Cup.

• The Tournament Format: The NBA Cup, a new feature designed to inject mid-season excitement, sees teams compete in a group stage. Qualifying as a group winner guarantees a place in the knockout stage, where the financial and sporting stakes are considerable (bonus for players and a symbolic trophy).
• A Signal to Competitors: Success in this format shows that the Lakers have taken this new challenge seriously, sending a message of competitiveness across the league.

B. The Next Challenge: Dallas Mavericks

The schedule offers no rest for the Lakers. Their next matchup, this Friday, will be against the Dallas Mavericks.

• Luka’s Former Team: The game against the Mavericks is always significant for Dončić (traded from the Mavs to the Lakers in a major exchange). It will be another test of the team’s form and cohesion against high-level opposition.

The Lakers Impose Their Will on Los Angeles

The Lakers’ 135-118 victory over the Clippers is a statement. Thanks to the stellar performance of Luka Dončić, the experience of LeBron James, and the dynamism of Austin Reaves, the Lakers not only won the Los Angeles derby but also secured their spot in the NBA Cup knockout phase.

While the first three quarters had shown a parity worthy of the playoffs, the fourth quarter was a basketball lesson delivered by the Purple and Gold, combining sudden defensive intensity with surgical precision in attack. The challenge now is to maintain this intensity for the rest of the schedule, starting with the crucial game against Dallas. This success gives the Lakers the perfect momentum to capitalize on the opportunity to win the first historic NBA Cup title.