On Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, it seemed for a while that the Lakers might face their first defeat, largely due to the performances of former players Rui Hachimura and Brook Lopez from the Clippers.
Especially since their star guard Luka Doncic was having a tough time getting into his groove offensively.
However, Austin Reaves, another star guard, stepped up, showing why the team invested so much in him over the summer. His energy was crucial in the Lakers’ 125-117 win, improving their record to 2-0 at the start of the season.
As the game reached halftime tied at 64, the Lakers struggled to pull away, leading by only one point early in the third quarter at 73-72. That’s when Reaves decided to take control, igniting a 16-4 run that turned the tide of the game.
This surge kicked off with a tough layup by Reaves against Isaiah Jackson, followed by an alley-oop assist to Walker Kessler and a corner three-pointer for Matisse Thybulle.
After that, Reaves scored the next nine points, pushing the Lakers ahead 89-76, which was their biggest lead at that point. He tallied 13 points in the third quarter alone, along with 3 assists, making up a significant portion of his overall scoring total of 28 points.
Despite their efforts, the Lakers nearly let Reaves’ momentum slip away as the Clippers managed to cut the deficit to 120-113 late in the fourth quarter. Still, they held on to their lead.
Kessler also had a solid game, finishing with 22 points, 8 rebounds, and an impressive 6 blocked shots, along with 3 steals.
Doncic wrapped up the night with 23 points on 8-of-21 shooting, adding 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Reaves was particularly efficient, shooting 10 of 13 from the field, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc, and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line, also contributing 9 assists.
Off the bench, Lopez scored 22 points and grabbed 4 rebounds, while Hachimura, facing his former team, added 16 points and 6 rebounds.
Darius Garland led the Clippers with 26 points and 6 assists.
