Kawhi Leonard emphasized a defensive shift after the Los Angeles Clippers’ 135-118 loss to the Lakers, pointing to the need for more pressure on elite scorers.
“We probably need to make star scorers pass more,” Leonard said postgame, via ClutchPoints. “Teams do that to us, Harden, me, Zu, they force us to move the ball. We’re letting other teams get comfortable.”
His comments followed a night in which Luka Doncic delivered 43 points, nine rebounds, and 13 assists, controlling the matchup from the opening minutes at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, November 25.
Doncic scored 32 points in the first half, helping the Lakers take a 69-66 lead at the break and setting the tone for Los Angeles’ fifth straight win.
Austin Reaves added 31 points and nine rebounds, while LeBron James supplied 25 points with 16 coming after halftime, strengthening a performance built on pace and efficiency.
The Clippers struggled to disrupt the Lakers’ rhythm and have now dropped 11 of their last 13 games, despite James Harden’s 29 points and nine assists and Leonard’s 19 points in his second game back from a 10-game absence.
Los Angeles shot 57% from the field and 45% from three-point range, winning the rebounding battle 38-29 and committing only 11 turnovers.
The Clippers shot 52% but lacked comparable offensive range, with only two additional players reaching double figures.
Doncic opened the game with 20 points in the first eight minutes, knocking down five early threes after struggling from deep over his previous two outings.
The matchup escalated late in the fourth quarter when Kris Dunn was ejected after a collision with Doncic that led to multiple technical fouls. Jaxson Hayes was also involved in the sequence.
The defeat extended the Clippers’ challenges in containing dynamic scorers, an issue Leonard directly addressed in his postgame remarks as he pointed to the value of forcing high-usage players to give up the ball earlier in possessions.
The Lakers advanced to 13-4 overall and secured their group in NBA Cup play, continuing a trend of balanced contributions behind Doncic’s production.
Los Angeles will host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, while the Clippers return home to face Memphis as they attempt to reset defensively and regain consistency.
