The Los Angeles Clippers (7-21) snapped their five-game losing streak with a much-needed 103-88 victory over the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers (19-8) on December 21.
Here are the key stats and the top performers of the game:
BEST PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Kawhi Leonard LAC SF 32 PTS | 12 REB | 2 BLK | 62.9 FPS
Kawhi caught fire in the second quarter, pouring in 15 points for his sixth 30-point game of the year. He also added a season-high in rebounds for his second double-double outing. He’s now led the team in scoring nine times and in rebounding four times this season.
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE:
John Collins LAC PF 17 PTS | 12 REB | 2 BLK | 42.9 FPS
Collins finished with his best game of the season. He was highly efficient on offense, shooting 7-for-10 from the field and posting his tenth 15-point outing. He was also just as impactful on defense, recording his season-best in both rebounding and stocks.
SCORING MACHINES:
LeBron James LAL SF 36 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST | 51.3 FPS
James stepped up for the shorthanded Lakers, scoring 16 in the first half and finishing with his season-high in scoring. With that performance, he also passed Dirk Nowitzki as the oldest player in NBA history to score 30+ points in a game. He’s also been highly productive on offense lately, scoring 26 or more points four times in his last five.
James Harden LAC PG 21 PTS | 10 AST | 2 STL | 43.8 FPS
Harden had some struggles but he still recorded his 20th 20-point outing of the year. He continues to be one of the best offensive players this season, ranking 12th in the league with a team-best 25.8 points per game and 5th with 8.2 assists per game.
STAT SPECIALIST:
Luka Doncic LAL PG LAL PG 12 PTS | 5 REB | 2 AST | 17.0 FPS
Doncic had a rare off night, going 1-for-6 from deep with four turnovers before leaving early due to injury. Despite that, he remains on another level this year, leading the league in scoring with 34.1 points per game and ranking fourth with 8.8 assists.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT:
Jarred Vanderbilt LAL PF 5 REB | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 15.5 FPS
Vando continues to make a solid impact on defense, averaging 7.7 rebounds and posting multiple stocks twice in his last three games.
THE SHARPSHOOTER:
Brook Lopez LAC C 11 PTS | 3-6 3PT | 5 REB | 19.9 FPS
Lopez has hit at least 3 three-pointers four times and has scored in double-figures five times this season.
THE X-FACTOR:
Kris Dunn LAC PG 8 PTS | 6 REB | 3 AST | 21.7 FPS
Dunn has been on a roll, knocking down 11 threes while averaging 12 points and 4.5 assists in his last four games.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Jake LaRavia LAL PF 12 PTS | 11 REB | 6 AST | 40.2 FPS
LaRavia finished with his 11th double-digit scoring game and a season-high rebounding effort for his first double-double of the season while also posting his fourth game with five or more assists.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Marcus Smart LAL PG 5 PTS | 4 REB | 1 AST
Smart had a rough night on offense, finishing 1-for-12 from the field and an even worse 0-for-9 from three.
