LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic had 43 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds. LeBron James added 25 points to Los Angeles LakersFifth straight win, 135-118 over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.
Doncic matched his season high with 32 points in the first half en route to his 51st career 40-point game. He fell short of his 10th career 40-point triple-double, but the Lakers clinched their group with their third straight NBA Cup victory.
Austin Reaves had 31 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who won 11 of 13 overall.
James, 40, also looked more like his old self in the third game of his unprecedented 23rd NBA season, scoring 16 second-half points as the Lakers built a comfortable lead.
James Harden continued his scoring spree, scoring 29 points and adding nine assists for the Clippers, who lost 11 of 13. Kawhi Leonard scored 19 in his second game after missing 10 games with injury.
The crosstown rivals' first meeting of the season turned out to be turbulent when Clippers guard Kris Dunn was ejected with 3:33 left in the game after knocking Doncic to the ground with a hit to the back. Doncic collided with Dunn, who sent the ball to Doncic's chest before Lakers center Jackson Hayes pushed Dunn in the back. Dunn then hit Hayes, who also received a technical foul.
Doncic opened his highest-scoring quarter of the season, making his first five 3-point attempts (after missing 17 of 22 in the previous two games) and scoring 20 points in the first eight minutes alone. He also presided over a stream of trash talk and glared at the Clippers bench, continuing a semi-friendly feud with Los Angeles' second team that began before his move to the Lakers.
The Clippers host Memphis on Friday.
Lakers: Host Dallas on Friday.
