Lakers vs Clippers - Game 5 - 2026 | No Luka, No Problem as Lakers Swarm Clippers

Game Summary: Los Angeles Lakers vs LA Clippers

NO LUKA, NO PROBLEM

The Lakers had 15 steals in their win over the Clippers. The Lake Show had 10 games with 14 or more steals as a team last season. They went 9-1 in those games. “We have the makeup to be a decent defensive team, if not a really good defensive team,” Redick said.

Quentin Grimes stepped up and led the Lakers with 23 points (7-of-15 FGs, 0-for-3 3s, 9-of-11 FTs), three rebounds, five assists, four steals, and three turnovers. Collin Sexton popped off for 21 points (6-of-11 FGs, 4-for-7 3s, 5-of-8 FTs) and four rebounds.

“I love it! I love his competitive fire,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said of Sexton’s intensity.

“I turn into a different person when it’s time to go. Whenever I step in between those lines, it’s wartime,” Sexton told reporters postgame. “Defensively, they want me to be a pest. If you can’t do it twice, the first time it really didn’t happen.”

Austin Reaves disappointed with 16 points (6-of-16 FGs, 1-for-6 3s, 3-of-4 FTs), six rebounds, and eight turnovers. Walker Kessler had 11 points (4-of-7 FGs, 3-of-5 FTs), nine rebounds, and two steals. Matisse Thybulle put up 15 points (5-of-6 FGs, 4-for-5 3s) and two steals.

“He’s naturally a flow-state guy. He’s shooting the ball great right now,” Redick said of Thybulle.

Sandro Mamukelashvili added 13 points (6-of-15 FGs, 0-for-5 3s), eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Jarred Vanderbilt got the opportunity to appear in his first game of the season, finishing with zero points (0-of-1 FGs), seven rebounds, two assists, and a +22 in his 21 minutes of action.

“Vando is always going to play hard,” Redick said of Vanderbilt. Redick also stated that Vanderbilt is “certainly” a backup center option. Redick thinks Vando is better suited as a wing/forward defensively, but there will be times where he plays the five out of “necessity.”

LAKER NOTES

Redick stated that both Doncic and Williams woke up sore after the Portland Trail Blazers game, saying that the Lakers are being “cautious” with both of them by holding them out as the team plays Game 2 out of five games in a seven-day stretch.

The Lakers were also without rookie Cam Carr and Adou Thiero.

CLIPPERS CAN’T CAPITALIZE WITH DONCIC MISSING

Rookie Keaton Wagler came off the bench and led the Clippers with 21 points (4-of-15 FGs, 3-for-8 3s, 10-of-12 FTs), four rebounds, and three turnovers. The entirety of the Clippers’ bench group shot 11-of-37 from the field (29.7%).

UNLV product Derrick Jones Jr. produced 15 points (6-of-10 FGs, 3-for-5 3s), five rebounds, four steals, and two blocks. Darius Garland struggled with 14 points (4-of-12 FGs, 1-for-3 3s, 5-of-5 FTs), five assists, and five turnovers. Kobe Sanders added nine points (2-of-7 FGs, 1-for-5 3s, 4-of-4 FTs), four rebounds, and three steals.

GAME TIDBITS

Some great defensive ball pressure from Grimes to end the first quarter, coming up with a couple steals and a couple buckets to give the Lakers a 25-22 lead.

Reaves had seven points on 2-of-7 field goals. LA already had five stocks (steals and blocks), half as many as they had all of last game.

After allowing 136 points to the Trail Blazers last time out, the Lakers held the Clippers to 38 points in the first half on 30% shooting, forcing 15 turnovers. The Lakers led 56-38 at halftime.

The Lakers closed the first half on a 27-7 run. Reaves had 16 points on 6-of-13 field goals. The Lakers took advantage of Garland’s sloppiness with the ball (five turnovers).

After a rough start to the third quarter, the Lakers outscored the Clippers 27-15 over the final 7:41. Sexton bounced back from last game’s performance with 21 points on 6-of-11 shots (4-for-7 3s).

Post-Game

Lakers head coach JJ Redick liked the edge Collin Sexton brought off the bench, especially in the third quarter, and said as much: “Collin, there’s some stuff for spacing that he needs to work on, but I also like when he’s just in go-mode. It puts pressure on the defense, he’s touching the paint, those two threes he hit in the third were huge for us.” (Quote via ClutchPoints.)

Catch up on the night before in the Lakers’ first loss of the season to the Trail Blazers, revisit Walker Kessler’s big night in the first win over the Clippers, and find all our coverage at the FSM Los Angeles Lakers hub.

TOP PERFORMERS

TEAM STATS

Attendance: 17,927 at Intuit Dome

Next up: The Lakers visit the Golden State Warriors on Friday, Oct. 30, at Chase Center. Tipoff is 7 p.m. PT on Prime Video.

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– Jake Ideguchi-Furukawa – Franchise Sports Media

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