With LeBron James sidelined on Tuesday due to an ankle injury, the Los Angeles Lakers faced a significant disadvantage against the in-form Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers, with 19 wins in their last 23 games, have been among the NBA’s top offensive teams. Even with a healthy James, defeating them would have been challenging.
Despite a competitive first quarter, the Purple and Gold found themselves trailing by as much as 16 points in the second quarter. The Lakers attempted to narrow the gap, coming within two points with 7:32 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Clippers ultimately secured a 127-116 victory.
Interestingly, the Lakers outrebounded the Clippers by five and attempted 10 more free throws. Despite shooting 48.9% from the field, the Clippers excelled with 59.1% shooting overall and 51.9% from 3-point range. Although the Lakers performed well from downtown for most of the game, their shooting cooled down, finishing at 34.4% from that distance for the night.
This defeat brought the Lakers’ record to 22-23, though they maintain a 2-1 lead over the Clippers in the season series. The final regular-season matchup between the two teams is scheduled for Feb. 28.