When the Lakers and Clippers faced each other at Intuit Dome on Dec. 20, both teams were struggling. After that game, they began to move in opposite directions.
The Lakers were 19-7 before that game and the Clippers stood at 6-21. Since the Clippers’ win that night, they’ve gone 14-3 — and the Lakers are 7-10.
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The Lakers continued their tailspin Thursday, falling into a 26-point hole they were unable to climb completely out of in a 112-104 loss to the Clippers, losing for the sixth time in nine games.
Luka Doncic nearly had a triple-double with 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, but it wasn’t enough to extend the Lakers’ modest two-game win streak. LeBron James finished with 23 points, six assists and five rebounds.
Clippers forward John Collins dunks during the first half Thursday against the Lakers. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Clippers (20-24) won for the seventh time in eight games behind seven players scoring in double figures.
Kawhi Leonard had 24 points, giving him a career-best 23 consecutive games with 20 points or more. James Harden had 18 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds and Ivica Zubac had 18 points and 19 rebounds.
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The Lakers (26-17) were down 26 in the third quarter, but trimmed it to 86-72 at the end of the quarter and then to 93-91 in the fourth on a three-pointer by Doncic and by playing defense like it mattered.
The Lakers kept clawing back, getting to within 105-102 on a three-point play by James, but they couldn’t stop the Clippers from closing out.
Clippers center Ivica Zubac scores on a reverse dunk in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ 112-104 win Thursday at Intuit Dome. Lakers forward LeBron James tries to steal the ball from Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard in the second half. Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt battles Zubac for a rebound in the second half. Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
Even with Deandre Ayton back after missing the second half against Denver on Tuesday because of a left eye injury, the Lakers still lost to the Clippers for the second straight time. Ayton, who wore goggles during the game, had four points and five rebounds in 20 minutes.
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Leonard had been listed as questionable before the game with a left knee contusion. He had missed three games with the injury, but Lakers coach JJ Redick was confident before the game the Clippers star would play.
“We assume everybody’s going to play against the Lakers,” Redick said. “[It’s] backed by statistical data. We talked about this last year.”
Read more: Luka Doncic has triple-double as Lakers rally for big road win over Denver
And Leonard made his presence felt, drilling a three-pointer to give the Clippers a 72-49 lead in the third, prompting Redick to call a timeout.
Leonard, Harden and Zubac are a big reason why the Clippers have won 14 of their last 17 games.
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“It was just being positive with our guys every step of the way,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before the game. “I think that bled over to just coming together, understanding that first game against the Lakers (the Clippers won in December) and it was kind of like we could exhale then. Now we can start playing better basketball and we’ve been able to do that.”
Etc.
Austin Reaves, who has missed 14 games with a calf injury, played in some three-on-three “stay-ready” games in practice, Redick said. “He’s looked great,” Redick said. “He’s progressed really well. And the last couple live exposures, he’s looked like Austin. So we’re hopeful he’s back soon.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.