Luka Dončić (31 Points) and LeBron James (28/13) Help the Lakers Win a "Rock Fight" With the Clips

Rui Hachimura was in street clothes with a knee injury, Austin Reaves left the game with a sore calf after only nine minutes. So the Lakers needed their stars to play big on Friday night against the Clippers, and both stepped up. Luka Dončić finished with 31 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, while LeBron James added 28 points with 13 rebounds. Behind them, the rest of the team made meaningful contributions and it was enough for another win, 106-102. The Lakers are now 37-21, a game back of Denver for the 2nd seed in the Western Conference. Luka's not fully clicking yet, the team is still figuring out a lot offensively... and they keep winning. But what's clear is the defensive identity they've built seems to work with basically anyone on the floor. Friday, they got meaningful minutes from Dalton Knecht, Jordan Goodwin and Trey Jemison III. Dorian Finney-Smith stepped into the starting lineup. That's a decent amount of change to absorb for one game on the second night of a back-to-back facing a quality team that had its second star (Kawhi Leonard) in uniform. There are reasons optimism is starting to grow, and they appear legit. Meanwhile, the injuries to Hachimura (evaluated again in a week) and Reaves (they're still checking, but didn't seem terribly concerned) aren't currently seen as that bad. And even if they're a little shorthanded in the near term, the Lakers have built up some cushion in the West. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky Your favorite podcast now has a newsletter! In One-stop for ultimate team and league coverage delivered right to your in box. Sign up for free now, at lockedondaily.com . Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Robinhood With Robinhood Gold, you can now enjoy the VIP treatment. The new Gold Standard is here with Robinhood Gold. To receive 3% boost on annual IRA contributions, sign up at robinhood.com/gold . Door Dash They Swoosh, You Save: when any player scores 50 or more points in a game during the 24/25 NBA regular season, DashPass members save 50% on an order, up to $10 off with promo code NBA50 . 50% Off 1 Order (Up to $10 Off) Offer valid from 9:00 AM PT through 11:59 PM PT after a 50 point performance in any game during the NBA season on orders placed at participating merchant locations. Valid only in the United States. Maximum value of discount is $10.00. Discount applies to subtotal only; does not apply to fees, taxes, and gratuity. Not valid for pickup. Limit one per person. Not valid for the purchase of alcohol. Fees, taxes, and gratuity still apply. Must have an active DashPass account. Use promo code NBA50 to redeem. See further terms and conditions at https://drd.sh/8ONpZP/ . FanDuel Right now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.