The Lakers lose Luka Doncic to injury, then fall to the Clippers despite LeBron James’ 36 points
When Luka Doncic suffered a left leg contusion and missed the entire second half of a 103-88 loss to the Clippers at the Intuit Dome on Saturday night, he became the latest in a growing list of struggling Lakers.
Doncic played 19 minutes in the first half but did not return in the third quarter. He had 12 points, five rebounds and two assists at the break. But Doncic struggled with his shooting, shooting four of 13 from the field and one of six from three-point range.
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Doncic entered as the NBA’s leading scorer, averaging 35.2 points per game, and was third in assists, averaging 9.1. He had torched the Clippers for 43 points in a win last month.
“He told me at halftime that he couldn’t go,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “I have no further information.”
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Rui Hachimura missed his first start of the season with groin soreness that is expected to keep him out three to five days. Also out are Austin Reaves (left calf), Deandre Ayton (left elbow) and Gabe Vincent (lower back tightness).
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The Clippers also lost a key player Saturday when center Ivica Zubac injured his left ankle in the first quarter. Zubac, who has played every game this season and leads the team in rebounds and blocks, logged just 11 minutes.
The Clippers (7-21) entered the game with the worst record in the Western Conference. They had lost five straight games, eight straight at home and 10 of their last 11 overall.
They got off to a strong start Saturday, building a 22-point lead over the Lakers (19-8), who cut their deficit to seven points in the fourth quarter before fading. It was the Lakers’ season with the fewest points.
Lakers star Lebron James knocks down a shot over multiple Clippers defenders during the Clippers’ 103-88 win Saturday at the Intuit Dome. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
“No matter what the circumstances are, it’s always next up,” said LeBron James, who led the Lakers with 36 points. “We’re all professionals. We all have to stay ready. So, obviously, very difficult circumstances for our club tonight. But I think we played extremely hard. We followed our keys. We just came up short.”
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Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers while James Harden had 21 points and 10 assists.
Before the game, Redick wanted the Lakers to “just run the game and play with the right spirit.”
But the Lakers fell behind by 17 points in the first quarter and couldn’t recover.
Redick said Hachimura sat after feeling soreness in his hip against Utah on Thursday night. Reaves was “continuing to push himself” to return soon, Redick said, and Ayton had “swelling” in his elbow but had a “brisk, intense individual workout.”
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, sitting next to Bill Gates, celebrates after the Clippers took the lead over the Lakers on Saturday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Redick said it’s possible Reaves and Ayton could return Tuesday to Phoenix.
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After the game, Redick praised how well the Lakers fought despite the rash of injuries.
Jake LaRavia, who had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Nick Smith Jr, who had nine points off the bench, helped the Lakers stay within striking distance.
But the Lakers struggled to shoot. They shot 39% (34 of 88) from the field, 16% (six of 38) from three-point range and 61% (14 of 23) at the foul line.
“I thought all the guys, about 90 percent of them, brought it,” Redick said. “And we defended at a high level. We made life tough for their stars. … Yeah, just a highly, highly competitive group today and really proud of them.”
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.