Luka Doncic scored 29 points with six rebounds and nine assists as the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers continued their surge into March with a 108-102 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
LeBron James scored 17 points with nine assists and rookie Dalton Knecht added 19 points off the bench for the Lakers, who extended their winning streak to six games while playing without starters Rui Hachimura (knee) and Austin Reaves (calf).
Doncic, who was acquired by the Lakers at the trade deadline, has scored at least 20 points four times in the past five games.
The Lakers won the season series 3-1 over the Clippers and have won six of the last eight games against their in-town rival after ending an 11-game losing streak against them. The Lakers are also 16-3 since Jan. 21.
Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 33 points with 10 rebounds for the Clippers, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Kris Dunn added 15 points for the visitors, Ivica Zubac had 12 points and nine boards and James Harden finished with 13 points and eight assists.
Norman Powell returned for the Clippers after missing the previous five games with a knee injury but left with a hamstring injury in the first quarter and did not return after scoring four points in nine minutes.
The Lakers led by as many as 21 points in the third quarter and took an 89-77 advantage into the final period. They led 104-94 with 4:12 remaining after two free throws from Doncic before the Clippers made a run.
A 3-pointer from Leonard with 1:40 to play trimmed the Clippers’ gap to 107-102, but Dunn had a layup attempt blocked by James with 30 seconds left that would have cut the deficit to a single possession.
Dorian Finney-Smith sealed the victory on a free throw with 8.1 seconds remaining and finished with 11 points.
The Lakers used a 12-0 run late in the second quarter to take a 56-43 lead behind 12 points from Doncic and 10 from Finney-Smith. The Clippers were held without a point over the final 7:35 of the second quarter.
–Field Level Media
