NBA Game Recap - LA Lakers at LA Clippers
Fri Apr 5, 2019 10:30 PM EDT

TOR
111
CHA
113
F
SA
129
WAS
112
F
ATL
113
ORL
149
F
DET
110
OKC
123
F
MIA
109
MIN
111
F
BOS
117
IND
97
F
NY
96
HOU
120
F
MEM
122
DAL
112
F
SAC
98
UTA
119
F
NO
126
PHO
133
F(OT)
LAL
122
LAC
117
F
CLE
114
GS
120
F
POR
110
DEN
119
F

Apr 5, 2019, 10:30 PM EDT

Final

1

2

3

4

T

LA Lakers

35

26

23

38

122

LA Clippers

30

37

19

31

117

Lakers surprise playoff-bound Clippers 122-117
Sat Apr 6, 2019 2:21 AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Los Angeles Clippers are hanging onto sixth in the West playoff race for now despite two straight losses.

Two days after getting pounded by Houston in a potential playoff preview, the Clippers blew a 12-point, second-half lead and lost to the Lakers 122-117 on Friday night.

"Just don't think we're playing hard enough," said Lou Williams, who had 18 points. "Ever since we clinched, we kind of took our foot off the gas a little bit. It's happened, that's the reality, and we just got to get out of it."

It won't be easy, though.

The Clippers travel to Golden State on Sunday when the Warriors could clinch the West's top seed with a win. Los Angeles hosts Utah - currently fifth - on Wednesday to end the regular season. A couple more losses and the Clippers could slip to the eighth and final spot.

"It matters," coach Doc Rivers said of seeding positions. "I don't think anyone wants to go play Golden State."

The Lakers have no such worries.

They aren't going anywhere in LeBron James' first season in Los Angeles. But they didn't mind playing spoiler to the Clippers, who've dominated the series in recent years.

And the win was the 36th of the season for the Lakers, exceeding last year's total of 35.

"We were having a blast," said JaVale McGee, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds. "A lot of guys had a lot of energy because it's the battle of LA and whenever we play the Clippers, especially when it's a Clippers home game, it's kind of weird for us."

Two-way player Alex Caruso scored 32 points playing 38 minutes - both career highs - while auditioning for a future job and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 25 points to lead the Lakers.

"I've been doing this in G League for the last year and a half and I've had my coaches down there just tell me to play confident, play the way I do," Caruso said. "I'm finally just finding that groove and I'm confident and I'm comfortable. It's taken me three years to get to this point out of college."

Rajon Rondo scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter when he was the most veteran player on the floor for the Lakers, whose biggest names, including James, have already been shut down for the season. He had 12 assist.

With summer vacation beckoning next week, the Lakers stunned the Clippers with eight 3-pointers in the fourth, including on four straight possessions. Rondo and Caruso made three each.

"I said it in our coaches' meeting this morning," Rivers said, "You know who I really like on the Lakers is Caruso."

The Clippers got to 118-115 on Danilo Gallinari's 3-pointer. But Caruso kissed a layup off the glass as the crowd roared for him. He crashed the lane for a layup on the Lakers' previous possession, too.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's basket again drew the Clippers within three, but Caldwell-Pope made a pair of free throws. Gilgeous-Alexander turned the ball over in the closing seconds to seal the loss.

The Lakers erased all of a 12-point deficit in the third, repeatedly getting defensive stops to trail by two going into the fourth.

Gallinari led the Clippers with 27 points and Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 points.

The Clippers blew a 12-point lead in the third. Mike Muscala and Caruso hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Jemerrio Jones' basket tied it at 84-all for the Lakers.

TIP-INS

Lakers: They split the season series, 2-2. ... F Kyle Kuzma (left foot peroneal tendinitis) missed his fourth straight game. ... G Reggie Bullock (neck stiffness) sat.

Clippers: G Patrick Beverley (right hip pointer) rested for the second game in a row. ... F JaMychal Green wasn't with the team while awaiting the birth of a child.

JUMPING JONES

Jones had five points and 10 rebounds playing 25 minutes and guarding Williams. The Lakers signed him on March 31 and he's appeared in four games.

"I'm searching the bench for guys who will get out there and play, and he does that every time he steps on the court," Walton said.

UP NEXT

Lakers: Host Utah on Sunday in their next-to-last game.

Clippers: Visit West-leading Golden State on Sunday.

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Leaders

LA Lakers PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
A. Caruso 32 2 5 10 2 1
K. Caldwell-Pope 25 4 4 6 2 0
LA Clippers PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
D. Gallinari 27 10 8 6 3 2
S. Gilgeous-Alexander 20 5 6 8 1 1

Team Comparison

LAL LAC
Points For 122 117
Field Goals 43/96-45% 40/91-44%
Three Pointers 14/32-44% 10/29-34%
Free Throws 22/27-81% 27/31-87%
Offensive Rebounds 14 7
Defensive Rebounds 41 38
Rebounds 61 52
Blocks 10 8
Steals 8 7
Turnovers 14 11
Points Scored Off Turnovers 19 17
Points in the Paint 56 52
Fast Break Points 27 28
Personal Fouls 24 22
Technical Fouls 0 0
Flagrant Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2018-19 Reg Season - Series Tied 2-2

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Fri Dec 28 LAC 118 @ LAL 107 L. Williams 36 K. Kuzma 24
Thu Jan 31 LAL 123 @ LAC 120 L. James 24 L. Williams 24
Mon Mar 4 LAC 113 @ LAL 105 D. Gallinari 23 L. James 27
Fri Apr 5 LAL 122 @ LAC 117 A. Caruso 32 D. Gallinari 27

Game Information

Stadium: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 17,910
Game Time: 2:20