Lakers beat Clippers again without Dončić

The Lakers found the support they needed to win without Luka Dončić. They beat the Clippers 103–87 on Wednesday, 28 October at the Intuit Dome, led by 23 points from Quentin Grimes and 21 from Collin Sexton off the bench. It is their second win over their neighbours in a week.

The game was initially played on fine margins. The Lakers finished the first quarter ahead 25–22, having retaken the lead in the closing minutes. They then imposed a defensive pressure that derailed the Clippers' possessions.

Second quarter opens up the gap

The Lakers won the second period 31–16 to go into the locker room with an eighteen-point lead, 56–38. Several players contributed to the surge, in a team that had to make up for the absences of Dončić and Ziaire Williams.

The Clippers tried again to come back at the start of the third quarter. Their run cut the gap to seven points before the Lakers took control again. Sexton then scored eleven straight points for his side, and the visitors went into the final period ahead 85–66.

Six Lakers score in double figures

Grimes finished with 23 points, five assists and four steals. Sexton hit four three-pointers from seven attempts. Austin Reaves added 16 points and six rebounds, while Matisse Thybulle scored 15 points with four threes from five attempts.

The Lakers also got 13 points and eight rebounds from Sandro Mamukelashvili, as well as 11 points and nine rebounds from Walker Kessler. That output, spread across six players in double figures, allowed them to stay in control despite their own turnovers.

For the Clippers, rookie Keaton Wagler finished with 21 points off the bench, ahead of Derrick Jones Jr. with 15 and Darius Garland with 14. Their twenty-four turnovers weighed heavily in a third straight defeat.

The Lakers improve to 4–1, against 1–3 for the Clippers. On Friday, both teams open their NBA Cup campaign on the road: the Lakers at Golden State, the Clippers at Minnesota.