Luka Dončić had 38 points (24 on 8 3-pointers) and 11 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the LA Clippers 125-122.
Dončić’s 3-pointer put the Lakers ahead for good with 5:11 left in the fourth quarter.
The Clippers got within 114-113 on Brook Lopez’s 9-foot fadeaway with 3:50 to play, but Dončić answered with a pull-up 3-pointer, and the Clippers got no closer than 117-115. They had the ball down 3, but Nicolas Batum missed a 3-pointer with 6.2 seconds left that would have tied it.
During clutch time, the Lakers outscored the Clippers 13-10. Dončić (No. 9 in clutch wins added, 2025-26) scored 9 of the Lakers’ 13 on 2 for 3 shooting and 4 for 5 at the line. In the fourth quarter, Dončić had 2 of his 3 steals, one of them leading to his 3-pointer that put the Lakers ahead 112-109, and the Lakers scored 3 points off them.
Austin Reaves scored 29 points (12 in the third quarter) on 9 for 15 shooting.
For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points, and Bennedict Mathurin added 26 points off the bench. Lopez had 16 points, a season-high 10 rebounds and 3 blocks.
The Clippers committed 16 turnovers to the Lakers’ 12. Mathurin fouled out.