The Los Angeles Lakers secured a narrow 125-122 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. The Clippers' loss was compounded by the late exit of star forward Kawhi Leonard, who left the game with five minutes remaining due to left ankle soreness.
Leonard's departure came at a critical moment with his team trailing by three points. He had contributed 31 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds in 31 minutes prior to exiting. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue noted Leonard has been managing the ankle issue for some time and it stiffened during the game.
The Lakers were led by Luka Dončić's 38 points and 11 assists. Austin Reaves added 29 points, while LeBron James finished with 13 points and 11 assists. The Clippers had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but an open three-point attempt from Nicholas Batum missed its mark.
Despite blowing a 16-point first-quarter lead, the Lakers held on for a win that marks a positive step for their newly assembled trio of James, Dončić, and Reaves. The Clippers, who had been one of the NBA's hottest teams, fall to 27-29 on the season.