In the NBA, the matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Clippers is always in the spotlight. As city rivals, the rivalry between the two teams is not just about winning, it's a symbol of honor and status. In this game, the Clippers sat at home to face the Lakers, and a fierce battle was inevitable. Compared to the current form of the two teams, the Clippers are obviously more worth looking forward to. You know, so far this season, they have also achieved a 37-19 record, maintaining the fourth place in the West.
But on the other hand, the Lakers, who also have a championship-contending lineup, currently only have a 31-28 record, barely maintaining a winning rate of more than 50%, ranking 10th in the West. Obviously, according to this trend, the Lakers may not only lose the opportunity to compete for the championship trophy, but even return to the playoff stage, which is not a small difficulty. In this Los Angeles derby, although the Lakers did not perform well in the first three quarters, they were able to complete a 23-point comeback in the final quarter and won the game with a total score of 116-112.
In the first half of the competition, George, the second leader of the Clippers, was absent due to injury, but he was still able to bargain for a lot of money in front of the Lakers who remained healthy. In the first quarter of the game, Leonard shot 4 of 7 and 1 of 2 free throws, and delivered 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists, Mann also had 4 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist, and Plumlee, who scored 5 points, helped the team play a 30-29 score. Entering the second quarter of the matchup, the Clippers were able to take advantage of the situation and continue to play a 36-23 score with the help of Harden's 16 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists in a single quarter, and Mann's 8 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist, expanding the difference to 14 points.
The Clippers, who have expanded their lead one after another, can continue to widen the difference between the two sides. In the third quarter of the game, Davis sent 6 points and 5 rebounds, and Reaves also handed over 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, which were not very effective, so that the Clippers, who had blossomed more points, expanded the difference to 19 points with a score of 30-25. In the final quarter of the decisive game, although the Lakers made a strong effort, with the help of James's 12 minutes and 19 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists, they played a score of 39-16, and with a total score of 116-112, they completed a 23-point reversal in the final quarter.
Looking back at the data of the game, James, the star of the Lakers, is really getting older and more demonic. He not only delivered a crucial 19 points in the final quarter, as well as luxurious statistics of 2 rebounds and 4 assists, helping the team complete a 23-point comeback, showing the big heart of a superstar player. He also played 35 minutes in the game, delivering 34 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 blocks, playing at the peak of his competitive level. At the same time, Davis also has 20 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists, as well as Russell, who handed over 18 points, 2 rebounds and 6 assists, and Reaves who has 13 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
On the other hand, on the losing Clippers' side, their second-in-command George was absent, and only 4 players in the team scored in double digits, which shows the overall competitiveness. During this period, Leonard played 39 minutes, shot 11 of 19, and only delivered 26 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, while Harden also had 23 points, 3 rebounds and 9 assists, as well as Mann, who handed over 16 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, could only helplessly enter the empty slash group. In addition, Powell, who came off the bench, handed over 14 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, which was also powerless.