By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With Luka Doncic ruled out for the rest of the game during the halftime break due to a left leg contusion, the Los Angeles Lakers failed to overcome a slow start and were defeated, 103-88, by the Los Angeles Clippers in Intuit Dome.
The 26-year-old Slovenian combo guard lasted 19:34 on Saturday, tallying 12 points on 4/13 field goals, five rebounds, and two assists. “I don’t have any other information,” said head coach JJ Redick, falling shy of providing an update in a postgame press conference. “I saw him hobbling towards the end of the first half. He came to at halftime, said he couldn’t go. It’s all I have.”
Besides an early exit for Doncic, Croatian Ivica Zubac left the game in the first half due to a left ankle sprain. The 28-year-old center had five points, two rebounds, and one assist over 10:47.
From the starting lineup to European reserve options for head coach Tyronn Lue, French Nicolas Batum chipped in three points and four rebounds, and Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic added two points, four assists, and two rebounds. Swiss Yanic Konan Niederhauser (left knee soreness) remained on the injury list. For the Lakers, German Maxi Kleber had one block and one rebound.
With the Clippers jumping to 7-21 in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, the Lakers were forced down to 19-7. Earlier in Ball Arena, the Denver Nuggets fell to 20-7, as the Houston Rockets prevailed, 115-101, improving to 17-8.
Serbian superstar Nikola Jokic drew 25 points, seven rebounds, and five assists for the team coached by David Adelman. Lithuanian reserve Jonas Valanciunas reached ten points, one block, one steal, one assist, and one rebound.
On the winning side, Turkish Alperen Sengun went for eight points, six rebounds, four assists, one block, and one steal. However, Swiss Clint Capela did not play.