Luka Doncic scored 24 of his 43 points in the first quarter and finished with 13 assists and nine rebounds as the host Los Angeles Lakers notched a 135-118 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday to clinch West Group B of the NBA Cup.
Austin Reaves scored 18 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and collected nine rebounds for the Lakers, who won their fifth consecutive game. LeBron James added 25 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Rui Hachimura had 13 points.
The Lakers improved to 3-0 in NBA Cup play while the Clippers fell to 2-1. The Clippers are still in the running for a wild-card spot.
James Harden recorded 29 points and nine assists and Kawhi Leonard and Kris Dunn scored 19 points apiece for the Clippers, who have lost 11 of their past 13 games. John Collins posted 18 points, and Ivica Zubac added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lakers shot a torrid 57.5% from the field, including 13 of 29 (44.8%) from 3-point range. Doncic made a season-best seven treys while registering his fifth 40-point effort of the campaign.
The Clippers made 51.9% of their field-goal attempts and were 13 of 35 (37.1%) from behind the arc.
Dunn was ejected with 3:33 left after shoving the basketball into Doncic’s chest and hitting the Lakers’ Jaxson Hayes in the face with an open hand after Hayes pushed Dunn from behind. Hayes received a technical foul.
Reaves scored seven points during a 14-4 run to start the fourth quarter as the Lakers turned a five-point advantage into a 112-97 lead.
A short time later, he scored five straight Lakers points to push the advantage to 117-102 with 6:51 remaining.
The Clippers crept within 124-115 on Harden’s basket with 2:55 left before the Lakers scored the next nine points to sew up the victory.
Doncic made five 3-pointers during his 24-point first quarter, but the Lakers trailed 38-37 entering the second.
Doncic had 32 points at halftime as the Lakers led 69-66. Harden scored 16 points in the first half for the Clippers.
James’ basket gave the Lakers an 82-72 advantage with 8:30 left in the third quarter. The Clippers ripped off the next 11 points, though, taking an 83-82 edge on Leonard’s basket with 5:31 remaining.
The Lakers jumped back on top, and James converted a three-point play to give them a 98-93 lead entering the final stanza.
