Below is a running diary of the Lakers’ Christmas Day matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, with comments drawn from Mike Trudell’s @LakersReporter Twitter account, to ensure you’re covered from start to finish.
First Quarter
Roy Hibbert has the first 8 Lakers points, with LAL down 10-8 due in part to Nance, Jr. accidentally tipping a long board into LAL’s hoop.
D’Angelo Russell hit 3 consecutive shots, capped by a triple, for 7 points in 3 minutes off the bench, getting LAL w/in 8 at 27-19.
A 5-point swing as Russell turned it over on a 4-on-1 fastbreak off his steal, and Prigioni hit a 3 on the other end to put LAC up 32-21.
Kobe Bryant with a hand in his face! #NBAXmas #NBAVote 2nd quarter now @TWCSportsnet | @TWCDeportes | @ESPNNBA https://t.co/HBvTwii17A
Second Quarter
D’Angelo Russell missed his 1st shot, but has drilled 5 straight to lead all scorers with 12 points. LAL trail 36-28 with 8:25 in the 2nd.
Kobe’s first field goal make came on his 4th attempt, at the 6:45 mark of the 2nd Q. CP3 answered to make it 42-30 Clips.
Seven straight Kobe points, capped by his B2B 3-pointers, have LAL back within 10 after they’d fallen behind 47-30.
LAL trail 60-44 at the break after Mbah a Moute hit a 3 on a nice extra pass from Griffin in the final seconds of the 2nd Q.
Kobe Bryant hits his third 3-in-a-row #NBAXmas #NBAVote 3rd quarter on @TWCSportsnet | @TWCDeportes | @ESPNNBA https://t.co/SXwsvgB8cL
Third Quarter
Kobe’s 3rd 3-pointer matches Russell’s. As a team, LAL are 6 for 14, compared to LAC’s 4 for 12.
Missed shots, and missed FT’s, are contagious for the Lakers tonight. 38.2% FG’s and 42.9% FT’s after Randle and Russell both miss a pair.
Fourth Quarter
An 8-0 run to start the 4th Q from LAL’s bench forces a Clippers time out, but LAC are up very comfortably at 85-65 with 9:54 to play.
The Clippers entered the 4th Q up 85-57. It’s now 89-80. A 23-4 LAL run, including 6-2 since Griffin/Paul/Jordan returned.
Lakers hold the Clippers to 9 fourth quarter points, but it’s not enough. #NBAXmas pic.twitter.com/Io8Je7ilyc
