December 21st - The Clippers defeated the Lakers 103-88 . For the Clippers, Leonard had 32 points and 12 rebounds, while Harden added 21 points and 10 assists. For the Lakers, James scored 36 points in a losing effort, while Doncic only played half the game and scored 12 points.

At the start of the game, the Clippers jumped out to a 9-0 lead, fueled by Harden's three-pointer and Zubac and Collins' inside attacks. James then scored 7 straight points to stop the bleeding, but the Clippers' offense remained potent, ending the first quarter with a 28-15 lead. In the second quarter, the Lakers struggled to catch up thanks to James, but Doncic's improved performance was hampered by an injury midway through the game, leaving the Clippers with a 54-39 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Lakers continued to be led by LeBron James, while the Clippers, spearheaded by Kawhi Leonard, extended their lead to over 20 points at one point. After three quarters, the Clippers held an 80-61 advantage. In the final quarter, James led a 12-0 run, narrowing the gap to 7 points, but Leonard and Harden combined to stabilize the situation. Ultimately, the Clippers defeated the Lakers 103-88.

Lakers player statistics

James had 36 points , 4 rebounds, and 3 assists; Lalavia had 12 points , 11 rebounds , and 6 assists; Doncic had 12 points , 5 rebounds , and 2 assists ; Smith had 9 points , 3 rebounds , and 1 assist; Hayes had 8 points , 5 rebounds , and 2 assists; Smart had 5 points , 4 rebounds, and 1 assist; Vanderbilt had 4 points , 5 rebounds, and 1 assist; and Kneckert had 2 points and 4 rebounds.

Clippers player statistics

Leonard 32 points , 12 rebounds, 3 assists; Harden 21 points , 4 rebounds , 10 assists; Collins 17 points , 12 rebounds, 1 assist; Lopez 11 points , 5 rebounds; Dunn 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists; Zubac 5 points , 2 rebounds , 1 assist; Sanders 4 points , 1 rebound; Batum 3 points, 4 rebounds; Bogdanovic 2 points , 2 rebounds , 4 assists