Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler anchored a dominant defensive and offensive performance as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 125-117 on Friday night. Reaves orchestrated the offense with a team-high 28 points and nine assists, while Kessler dominated the paint with 22 points and six blocks. This victory marks the Lakers’ second win to start the season and extends their impressive streak to nine wins in the last 13 meetings against their crosstown rivals.
Lakers secure ninth straight crosstown win despite Luka Doncic’s career-high 11 turnovers
Luka Doncic struggled offensively, scoring 23 points but committing a career-high 11 turnovers, yet the Lakers maintained control despite the Clippers closing the gap to six points in the fourth quarter. Reaves and Kessler stepped up with critical plays in the final minutes to seal the victory. For Kessler, the performance was historic, as he scored at least 20 points in back-to-back games for the first time in his five-year NBA career.
The Clippers, currently in a rebuilding phase, saw encouraging signs from Darius Garland, who posted 26 points and six assists. However, the team’s 26 turnovers proved costly, and they could not overcome the Lakers’ interior presence. Rui Hachimura contributed 16 points and six rebounds in his first return to face his former team, while Brook Lopez added 22 points, including 15 in the first half, for the Clippers.
Source: Yahoo Sports
