LeBron James Outscores The Clippers In The Fourth Quarter, Leading The Lakers To Overcome A 21-point Deficit

LeBron James scored 19 of his 34 points during a spectacular fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers rallied from a 21-point deficit for a dramatic 116-112 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

Kawhi Leonard missed a 12-footer with five seconds remaining, and James threw a long pass to Cam Reddish for a dunk, leading to the Los Angeles Rams’ final regular season game as their co-tenants. A great win for the Lakers. City grounds.

The 39-year-old James was at the center of it all, hitting five of his season-high seven 3-pointers in the fourth quarter (19-16) as the Clippers outscored. He either scored or assisted on 11 of the Lakers’ 13 baskets in the final period.

Leonard scored 26 points and James Harden had 23 points and nine assists for the Clippers, who have lost back-to-back games for the first time since Dec. 23. The Clippers played without All-Star Paul George, who missed his second consecutive game. Started the game with a sore left knee and center back Ivica Zubac was ill.

The Clippers led 98–77 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, but James went on a 29–8 run in just 7:34. Anthony Davis’ free throw tied it 106–106 with four minutes to play, and James hit a Rui Hachimura 3-pointer moments later.

D’Angelo Russell’s 3-pointer put the Lakers ahead 114–108 with 1:12 to play, but Harden and Leonard scored on drives to the hoop, while James missed a few shots for the Lakers. But Leonard’s last shot was off target, and James found Reddish for the capper, to the delight of thousands of Lakers fans attending the “road” game.

The Lakers won three of four over the Clippers this season, winning the season series for the first time since 2011–12.

Davis had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, while Russell had 18 and Hachimura had 17 points.

The Clippers and Lakers moved into the building that was long known as Staples Center – along with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings – when it opened in 1999. The NBA franchises shared their home for the next 25 years, usually facing each other four times a year in a rivalry known as the Hallway Series because their locker rooms are about 100 feet apart in the same hallway. .

That era ends this fall when the Clippers move into the Intuit Dome, owner Steve Ballmer’s lavish new arena in Inglewood. Ballmer decided the Clippers needed their own home to step out of the shadow of the Lakers’ 17 NBA championships and the banners adorning the walls of the shared arena, and the billionaire promptly made it happen.

The balance of power in Los Angeles is still tilted squarely in the direction of the Lakers, but the Clippers have made progress: They have finished with a better record than the Lakers in 10 of the last 11 seasons, failing only in 2020. When the Lakers won their 17th title.

The teams could always meet in a playoff series, but that never happened.

Reddish returned after a 14-game absence due to a right ankle sprain.

The Clippers took a 17-point lead shortly after halftime, while the Lakers struggled, missing 15 of their first 18 3-point attempts and shooting only two free throws in the first half. Harden led the Lakers to 18 points in the first half, once again presenting himself as a shooter when one of his high-scoring teammates was out with an injury.

next

Lakers: Host Washington on Thursday night

Shear: Host Washington on Friday night.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

to follow Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience