Le Journal

The Lakers nearly pulled off an improbable comeback against the Clippers on Thursday before coming up just short, falling 112-104. After trailing by as many as 26 in the second half, the Lakers cut the deficit to two points, setting up a frantic finish. Despite an improved defensive effort in the second half, LA ran out of steam down the stretch. LA lost the rebounding battle 55-43, giving up 15 second-chance points. Ivica Zubac pulled down 19 boards himself. It was an offensive showdown early. Jake LaRavia was red hot, draining two 3-pointers for the Lakers. Kawhi Leonard then began to heat up for the Clippers, scoring eight points. LaRavia and Luka Dončić combined for 12 of LA’s first 16 points.  Luka Dončić goes no-look for Jake LaRavia for 3!📺 LAL/LAC on Prime pic.twitter.com/BvXfA1ji0k— NBA (@NBA) January 23, 2026 At the first timeout, the Lakers were up by two.  Kobe Sanders provided instant offense for the Clippers off the bench with two triples. The purple and gold’s struggles mounted as Luka was the only one scoring. The Clippers jumped to a lead of seven, forcing a Laker timeout. Out of the break, Luka scored on a shot off the glass.  Sanders continued shooting well from behind the arc, draining another triple. After missing his first two shots, Rui Hachimura knocked down a 3-pointer at the first quarter buzzer, making it a seven-point deficit.  RUI IS MONEY AT THE BUZZER 🤑 pic.twitter.com/B9rpCdhaIF— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) January 23, 2026 The second period began with Brook Lopez scoring four points. LeBron James was being assertive and playing aggressively as he was at nine points in the half. The Lakers couldn’t defend Leonard, who was still scoring at ease. He was the second player in the game in double figures with 12.  At the 7:13 mark, the Lakers were down by nine.  Each time the Lakers tried to get closer, the Clips had an answer. Despite defending James Harden well, he did still manage to notch seven points. The lead kept growing for the Clippers as the Lakers completely fell apart on both ends.  At halftime, the purple and gold were down by 17.  The Lakers failed to score from the 2:58 mark of the 2nd Q until Ayton's first hoop with 26 seconds to play, snapping a 9-0 run.— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 23, 2026 The third period began with both teams missing shots until Harden converted on a three-point play. Deandre Ayton countered with a hook shot on the other end. Leonard then went on a personal 5-0 scoring run, forcing a timeout for the Lakers. The Lakers only made one of their first seven shot attempts.  Leonard was now at 24 points for the game.  The Lakers were struggling with poor energy and effort until they suddenly found some life. They scored five straight points, but they were still down by double figures. After a Clippers timeout, Luka converted on a midrange jumper.  The Lakers continued to build on the momentum they had conjured up by defending and scoring. They ended the third on a 19-7 scoring run for a deficit of 14 going into the fourth period.  LA finally got something going late in the 3rd Q, rallying behind Luka Doncić – 26 points, 8 boards, 7 assists – to get within 14 after trailing by as much as a 26 earlier in the period.— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 23, 2026 Hachimura opened the final frame with a 3-pointer for the Lakers. Jordan Miller was cooking for the Clips with seven quick points. The Lakers were throwing all their bodies at Leonard, making him battle more for his shots.  It was down to a 10-point game at the 8:45 mark.  Jarred Vanderbilt was providing energy off the bench by doing the dirty work with two assists and three steals. The Lakers had completely taken all the momentum from the Clippers and had now made it a five-point game.  It's a 35-14 extended run now, and the deficit is down to 5 after Smart's and-1.— Mike Trudell…

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