The NBA Cup meeting between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers on November twenty fifth, twenty twenty five delivered a fiery start, and Luka Dončić was the spark behind it. From the moment the ball went up, he seized complete control of the game, pouring in twenty four points in the opening quarter. By halftime, he had already reached thirty two points, tying his season high for the first half. His early rhythm came alive from long range, where he sank his first five three point attempts with complete confidence, pushing away any talk about the shooting difficulties that had followed him during the previous two outings.
This blazing start held special meaning considering Dončić’s long history of heated matchups with the Clippers. Every shot and every glance toward their bench carried a message. He has spent years battling this team, beginning during his time with the Dallas Mavericks, and he once again embraced the rivalry. His celebrations, his remarks, and the sheer force of his scoring run made the opening quarter feel like a personal reminder to the Clippers of who they were facing. His performance was especially striking because it arrived so soon after a rough stretch in which he had missed seventeen of twenty two attempts from beyond the arc.
The tension between the two teams grew throughout the night, but it truly erupted with a little more than three minutes left in the first quarter. Clippers guard Kris Dunn knocked Dončić to the court, sparking an immediate confrontation. Dončić stepped toward him, and Dunn shoved the ball into Dončić’s chest. The moment quickly escalated when Lakers center Jaxson Hayes pushed Dunn from behind. Dunn received an ejection, and Hayes was hit with a technical foul. The exchange showcased the pressure, urgency, and emotions that often define meetings between these two city rivals.
Once the dust settled, Dončić continued to guide the Lakers with complete command. His final stat line reflected his mastery of the game: forty three points, thirteen assists, and nine rebounds. He came within a single rebound of recording his tenth career forty point triple double. The Lakers secured a one hundred thirty five to one hundred eighteen victory, their fifth straight win. This result allowed them to claim the top spot in their group in the first ever NBA Cup, an important achievement for a team determined to establish its place among the contenders.
While Dončić delivered the headline performance, he was not alone in lifting the Lakers. LeBron James added twenty five points with his usual sense of direction and control. Austin Reaves turned in one of his strongest performances of the season, scoring thirty one points and helping maintain the Lakers’ momentum whenever the Clippers tried to respond.
The night belonged to Dončić, though. His relentless energy, precision, and flair shaped the entire narrative. With each bucket, the Lakers built a lead that the Clippers could not chase down. By the end of the game, the message was unmistakable. The Lakers are a force in the NBA Cup, and Dončić is the engine powering them forward.
