The Clippers defeat the Lakers 103-88 and snap a five-game losing skid
Los Angeles Clippers #2 Kawhi Leonard (F) going up strong and gliding to to the basket for a right-hand layup against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Intuit Dome. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs/TGSportstv1 December 20, 2025.
LOS ANGELES, CA - The Los Angeles Clippers snapped a five-game skid with a gritty 103-88 victory over the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers. Behind a season-best performance from Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers secured a much-needed win against their crosstown rivals.
Kawhi Leonard was the catalyst for the Clippers’ offense, pouring in a season-high 32 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Leonard was locked in from the jump, knocking down four triples and punctuating the win with a steal and slam late in the fourth quarter. James Harden recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 assists, while John Collins contributed a strong 17 points and 12 boards in the winning effort.
The Clippers’ success was largely due to their shooting from deep, as the team knocked down 16 of 43 (37.2%) from beyond the arc. In contrast, the Lakers struggled from the perimeter, missing 32 three-pointers and finishing a dismal 6-of-38 (15.8%).
Los Angeles Lakers #23 LeBron James (F) going up for a two-handed power dunk while the Los Angeles Clippers #40 Ivica Zubac (C) is looking on at the Intuit Dome. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs/TGSportstv1 December 20, 2025.
In the first period, the Clippers opened with a 9-0 lead. Lebron James responded and scored all 7 of the Lakers' first points of the game. The Clippers went on to stretch the lead to 17 as the shorthanded Lakers struggled from the floor without key starters Rui Hachimura, DeAndre Ayton, and Austin Reaves. The Clippers held a 28-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, LeBron James carried the Lakers' offense, scoring 11 points in the quarter, including a 19-foot pull-up and a transition driving dunk off a steal. Lopez ignited the Clippers' perimeter game, knocking down two deep three-pointers, to keep the Lakers' defense stretched thin.
Los Angeles Clippers #1 James Harden (G) is shooting a three pointer in front of the Los Angeles Lakers #23 Le Bron James (F) at the Intuit Dome. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs/TGSportstv1 December 20, 2025.
The Clippers ended the half with a 54-39 advantage, punctuated by a Kobe Sanders driving dunk and a 26-foot triple from Kawhi Leonard with just 28 seconds remaining.
In the third, the game took a dramatic turn when the NBA’s leading scorer, Luka Doncic, did not return from halftime due to an issue with a left leg contusion. Before leaving, Doncic struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 4-of-13 for 12 points.
His absence left a massive void for a Lakers squad already missing three members of their starting lineup. Despite the mounting injuries, LeBron James shouldered the load for the Lakers, scoring a season-high 36 points and nearly willing his team back into the game during a tense fourth-quarter stretch.
The Clippers maintained control for most of the night, but the Lakers mounted a desperate rally to open the final period. A rare "six-point possession” fueled by a flagrant-1 foul on Marcus Smart and a subsequent "and-one" layup by James—cut the Clippers' lead to just 80-73 with nearly eight minutes remaining.
However, Los Angeles responded with the poise of a veteran squad. Back-to-back three-pointers from Collins and Harden, followed by a Leonard dunk off a James turnover, sparked an 8-0 run that effectively iced the game.
Head Coach Tyronn Lue credited the team's resilience despite losing center Ivica Zubac early to a left ankle injury.
"We needed this one," Lue said of the win, which marked the Clippers' first home victory since late October. "Kawhi and James set the tone, and we did a great job of holding the line when they made their run."
The win moves the Clippers to 7-21 on the season. They will look to build on this momentum as they continue their home stand.