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Once again in Los Angeles, Luka Doncic showcased his skills, guiding the Lakers to yet another victory against their city rivals, the Clippers, at Crypto.com Arena, with a score of 108-102.
The Slovenian sensation put up an impressive stat line with 29 points, nine assists, and six rebounds, nailing five three-pointers—the most he’s managed since joining the team. Doncic shared his thoughts on the notion that opponents elevate their performance when facing the Lakers.
“I wasn’t convinced at first, but they say that when someone has been out for a while, they really ramp it up against the Lakers… So I guess that’s just how it is now,” remarked the former Dallas Mavericks player.
In an interesting follow-up, LeBron James contributed 17 points and nine assists, falling just one point short of reaching the milestone of 50,000 career points.
On the Clippers’ side, Bogdan Bogdanović chipped in with 12 points on four of eleven shooting from long range, and Ivica Zubac achieved a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
With their sixth consecutive win, the Lakers improved their record to 38-21, seizing second place in the Western Conference standings.
In other matchups, the New York Knicks triumphed over the Miami Heat in a hard-fought overtime battle, finishing 116-112, with OG Anunoby coming close to a double-double, scoring 23 points and gathering nine rebounds.
Meanwhile, Darko Rajaković’s Toronto Raptors edged out the Orlando Magic 104-102 in Florida, where Jakob Pöltl notched a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Franz Wagner led the Magic with 25 points and four rebounds, as they made a commendable late-game effort but came up two points short.
The Oklahoma City Thunder secured a road victory against the San Antonio Spurs, winning 146-132, with Isaiah Hartenstein adding 10 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Jeremy Sochan scored 17 points for the Spurs in their defeat.
The Minnesota Timberwolves also emerged victorious on the road, defeating the Phoenix Suns in Arizona 116-98, powered by Anthony Edwards’ stunning 44-point performance, while Vasilije Micić made his Suns debut, although he played only a minute and 38 seconds without scoring.
Nikola Jokic was close to a triple-double in a losing effort for the Nuggets.
Game Scores:
Miami Heat 112 – 116 New York Knicks (OT)
Orlando Magic 102 – 104 Toronto Raptors
San Antonio Spurs 132 – 146 Oklahoma City Thunder
Utah Jazz 121 – 128 New Orleans Pelicans
Los Angeles Lakers 108 – 102 Los Angeles Clippers
Phoenix Suns 98 – 116 Minnesota Timberwolves
Western Conference
Eastern Conference
