The Clippers led by 11 in the second quarter and were tied 64-64 at halftime, then lost 125-117 at the Lakers. Darius Garland scored 26 but finished at -14, and the bench, led by Kobe Sanders and Brook Lopez, played better than the closing group.
The Clippers had control and gave it back before halftime.
A 9-0 run late in the first quarter turned a 24-20 deficit into a 29-24 lead. An 8-0 burst early in the second made it 44-33, which was their largest lead of the night. JJ Redick had already called timeout, and the Lakers answered with their own 8-0 run to cut it to 44-41. Tyronn Lue called timeout at 48-49. The teams went into the break tied 64-64 after 12 lead changes and five ties. In a game this even, the Clippers' failure to hold an 11-point cushion was the difference.
The closing five lost its minutes, and the bench won its minutes.
Lue closed with Garland, Derrick Jones Jr., Isaiah Jackson, Kris Dunn and Rui Hachimura against Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic, Matisse Thybulle, Walker Kessler and Ziaire Williams. Three of the Clippers' closers had the worst plus-minus marks on the team: Garland at -14, Hachimura at -12 and Jones Jr. at -10. Sanders was +11 in 12 minutes. Dunn and Keaton Wagler both broke even. On this night, the lineups that started and finished the game were outplayed by the ones Lue used in between.
Three grades, with the lines behind them.
Garland gets a B-minus. He led the team with 26 points and six assists, but he also had four turnovers and the worst plus-minus on the roster. Lopez gets an A. He went 6-for-6 from the floor, including 2-for-2 from three, for 15 points in eight minutes at +5, which makes his short stint a question for the coaching staff. Hachimura gets a C. He shot 3-for-4 from deep and had two steals, but the Clippers were outscored by 12 with him on the floor. Reaves finished with 28 points and nine assists, and the Clippers never found an answer for him.
The schedule lets them check the result quickly.
The loss dropped the Clippers to fourth in the West. They play at Oklahoma City on October 25, and the Lakers visit Intuit Dome on October 28. Five players remain out. Max Strus, Brandon Ingram, Bradley Beal and Yanic Konan Niederhauser are all targeted for Nov. 8, and Jordan Miller is not expected back until March 2. Until then, Lue's rotation depends on Garland, Sanders and a 38-year-old center. Lopez's minutes are a decision Lue can change before the rematch.
Who led the Clippers in scoring against the Lakers on October 23?
Darius Garland led the Clippers with 26 points and six assists in the 125-117 loss. Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 28 points and nine assists.
When do the Clippers play the Lakers again?
The rematch is October 28 at Intuit Dome. Before that, the Clippers play at Oklahoma City on October 25.
