It was not an offensive masterclass from either the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers in their bout last night. But it came down to who the better tactician was and which group could execute the plan.
In that regard, the Clippers had the upper hand as they successfully kept the Lakers at bay throughout the game. It was a close game, but everyone, including LeBron James, has credited Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue for designing plays that opened up the Lakers’ defense and gave his team a better chance of winning.
According to Silver Screen and Roll Editor-in-Chief Harrison Faigen, Anthony Davis also heaped praises on Tyronn Lue’s tactics, saying that he found ways to take advantage of the Lakers’ aggressive rotations. The Clippers made three clutch three-pointers that were a result of clever play calls.
https://twitter.com/hmfaigen/status/1467005151181295618
Luke Kennard made the difference in the game, knocking down two late three-pointers to give the Clippers separation late in the game. The victory gave Lue his fourth victory over the Lakers since he became head coach of the Clippers.
The Clips won the game 119-115 at Staples Center to register their 12th win in 23 games. They currently sit 6th in the Western Conference standings.
For the Lakers, they failed to extend their winning streak to three games. Davis has said they can go on a ten-game run if they had the right mentality. But so far, they have never won more than three consecutive wins, which has happened only once this season.
The Lakers will host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night and will be hoping to get back to winning ways. The last time both teams met, it was a blowout victory for the C’s, who are having a poor season themselves. Another loss will put them under .500 in what has been an extremely inconsistent season for the purple and gold.
