02/20/26 11:54:00
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02/20 23:53 CST Luka Doncic scores 38 and the Lakers hold off the Clippers
125-122 to split LA rivals' season series
Luka Doncic scores 38 and the Lakers hold off the Clippers 125-122 to split LA
rivals' season series
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- Luka Doncic had 38 points and 11 assists, Austin Reaves
added 29 points and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Los Angeles Clippers
down the stretch for a 125-122 victory Friday night.
LeBron James had 13 points and 11 assists for the Lakers in their return from
the All-Star break. They blew a 15-point lead in the second half, but Doncic
scored 12 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers split the four-game season
series with their crosstown rivals.
Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points before missing the final 5:10 with an apparent
ankle injury for the Clippers (27-29), who fell just short of getting back to
.500 in incredible fashion after their 6-21 start to the season.
Bennedict Mathurin had 26 points and seven rebounds in his second straight
outstanding game for his new team before fouling out with 1:49 to play. The
athletic guard acquired from Indiana for center Ivica Zubac dropped a
career-high-tying 38 against Denver on Thursday.
Derrick Jones Jr. scored on consecutive possessions to trim the Lakers' lead to
123-120 with 46 seconds left. Nicolas Batum then stole James' pass in the final
seconds, but the Frenchman missed a tying 3-point attempt with 4 seconds left.
Doncic, James and Reaves were able to play together for only the 11th time in
the Lakers' 55 games this season, thanks to a rare moment of full health for
the Lakers coming out of the break. They responded with a prolific offensive
performance, even while James managed just two points in the second half.
In Doncic's return from a four-game absence followed by a five-minute All-Star
Game appearance due to a mildly strained hamstring, the Slovenian superstar
scored 17 points with four 3-pointers in a dynamic first quarter for the
Lakers, who made 16 of 17 shots in one stretch.
Leonard, who had just one bucket in the first, answered with a 19-point second.
The Clippers' John Collins was helped off the court with 18 seconds left in the
first half after he bloodied his face on a hard landing while trying to catch a
long pass at the rim.
Up next
Clippers: Host Orlando on Sunday.
Lakers: Host Boston on Sunday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
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