The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Los Angeles Clippers 103-87 on Wednesday night, earning their second victory over their city rivals in less than a week despite playing without Luka Doncic.
Quentin Grimes led the Lakers with 23 points, while Collin Sexton scored a season-high 21 off the bench as Los Angeles improved to 4-1. Austin Reaves added 16 points, and Matisse Thybulle contributed 15, including four 3-pointers. Sexton also knocked down four shots from beyond the arc.
Doncic missed the game with back tightness as the Lakers played the second leg of their first back-to-back of the season. Ziaire Williams was also sidelined with soreness in his left foot. Coach JJ Redick described both absences as precautionary. Doncic entered the game averaging an NBA-leading 36 points.
The Lakers took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Clippers 31-6 to turn a three-point lead into a 56-38 halftime advantage. The run included 16 consecutive points, with Reaves scoring nine in the quarter as six different Lakers contributed.
The Clippers briefly threatened after halftime, opening the third quarter with a 12-2 run to cut the deficit to seven. However, Sexton answered with 11 consecutive points, including back-to-back 3-pointers, during a 27-15 Lakers surge to close the period. Los Angeles carried an 85-66 lead into the fourth and maintained control down the stretch.
Turnovers again undermined the Clippers. They committed 24 on Wednesday after recording 26 in each of their previous two games, both losses. The Lakers converted the advantage into a second straight win over their local rivals.
Rookie Keaton Wagler led the Clippers with 21 points off the bench, setting a career high. Darius Garland scored 14 points and Derrick Jones Jr. added 15, but the Clippers fell to 1-3 after losing their third consecutive game. They played without Rui Hachimura, who missed the matchup against his former team with left quadriceps tightness.
The Lakers will visit Golden State on Friday to begin NBA Cup group play, while the Clippers will open their group-stage schedule on the road against Minnesota the same night.
