Final: Lakers 125, Clippers 122LA improves to 34-21. They remain No. 5 in the West. Luka had 38 points and 11 assists. Austin Reaves had 29 points and 6 rebounds. LeBron had 13 points and 11 assists. Huge reps for LA's new starting group down stretch.Up next: vs. BOS on Sun.— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) February 21, 2026

127.7 ORTG with both on the court. That’d be by far the best team ORTG in the league.107.7 DRTG with both on the court. That’d be the 2nd best team DRTG in the league.They were just as dominant as 2 man lineup last year too. This is 100% a championship duo to build around. https://t.co/4h7GdccqVq— ⭐️🚨 (@HoodiiLuka) February 21, 2026

AUSTIN REAVES TONIGHT 🌟 32 minutes 🌟 29 points 🌟 6 rebounds 🌟 2 assists 🌟 4/5 3PTAR ISN’T EVEN 100% 😳 pic.twitter.com/t4lwASo91Y— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) February 21, 2026

Luka Doncic GOES OFF for 38 PTS, 6 REB, 11 AST, 3 STL, 8 3PM as the Lakers get the 122-125 WIN over the Clippers 🔥Austin Reaves: 29 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 80% 3PT pic.twitter.com/SawYyXv5TX— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) February 21, 2026

Final Stats 📊Luka: 38 pts, 6 reb, 11 astAR: 29 pts, 6 rebLeBron: 13 pts, 3 reb, 11 astDA: 13 pts, 7 reb pic.twitter.com/AqQ5yQyFoz— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 21, 2026

Luka was SENSATIONAL in the Lakers win!🪄 38 PTS🪄 6 REB🪄 11 AST🪄 3 STL🪄 8 3PM pic.twitter.com/YuRAIhywB3— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2026

Luka was SENSATIONAL in the Lakers win!🪄 38 PTS🪄 6 REB🪄 11 AST🪄 3 STL🪄 8 3PM pic.twitter.com/YuRAIhywB3— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2026

MARCUS SMART TONIGHT 🧠 29 minutes 🧠 7 points 🧠 2 rebounds 🧠 2 stocks🧠 3/4 FGMR. CLUTCH 😤 pic.twitter.com/MxGHwjPLyu— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) February 21, 2026

SO MUCH FOR EVERYBODY HEALTHY VIBE…LMAO!

LeBron James (left knee soreness) has been downgraded to questionable for tonight’s game vs. the Clippers.— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) February 20, 2026

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

After what felt like the longest eight-day midseason break, Lakers basketball is finally back. The pause is over, and now comes a very busy stretch, less than two months packed with games until the end of the regular season. The Lakers will play 28 games in 52 days after the break, including five back-to-backs.

Because of snow in Vienna, I am stuck at Oslo airport with time to kill. The upside is that I got extra time to watch Clippers–Nuggets, so you get a slightly more extensive preview today.

The key storyline going into this restart is the health of Luka Dončić and the state of his hamstring. JJ Redick confirmed that both Dončić and Austin Reaves had a full practice yesterday. Both were back in their usual playful and upbeat mood, and more importantly, the Los Angeles Lakers are heading into the post All-Star stretch fully healthy for the first time this season. That is something we simply have not seen so far.

The first opponent out of the break is the familiar one. The Los Angeles Clippers. The cross-town rivals took the last two meetings after the Lakers won the first matchup of the season, so there is a score to settle.

But this is not the same Clippers team the Lakers saw before the break. The deadline reshaped them in a surprising way. James Harden is now running the show in Cleveland, and Ivica Zubac is headed to Indiana as the future pick-and-roll partner for Tyrese Haliburton. The three-headed beast the Lakers dealt with in previous matchups no longer exists. The Clippers will also be playing on the second night of a back-to-back, so we will see what that means for the availability of Kawhi Leonard. However, these new Clippers should not be taken lightly. They are in the middle of a surge. Since moving two of their top three players, they have beaten three Western Conference contenders: the Nuggets, the Rockets, and the Timberwolves.

Regardless, this preview is more about the Lakers than it is about the opponent. If they want to change the narrative and be viewed as a real threat in the West, now fully healthy, they need to make a serious run. It should start tonight with a win.

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Lakers (33-21) vs Clippers (27-28) game facts
Rest: LAL on 8 days of rest; LAC on 0 days of rest

Ranking: LAL 15th in Point Diff (-0.2), LAC 18th in Point Diff (-0.9)

LAL vs LAC 2025-26 record: 1-2 (see Game 17 observations here, see Game 27 observations here, see Game 43 observations here )

LAL injuries: none

LAC injuries: Darius Garland (OUT), Bradley Beal (OUT). Additional updates expected later due to back-to-back.

LAL projected starting five: Luka Dončić (G), Marcus Smart (G), Austin Reaves (G), LeBron James (F), Deandre Ayton (C)

LAL key reserves: Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia, Jaxson Hayes, Jarred Vanderbilt, Luke Kennard

LAC projected starting five: Kris Dunn (G), Derrick Jones Jr. (F), Kawhi Leonard (F), John Collins (F), Brook Lopez (C)

LAC key reserves: Bennedict Mathurin, Jordan Miller, Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, Kobe Sanders

LAC rotation:

Key storyline: What does the starting five and rotation look like when fully healthy?
Games after a long layoff are always tricky, so we will see which team is in better rhythm and plays with more energy. A rested and possibly rusty Lakers team, or a bit tired but maybe in-rhythm Clippers.

The first thing to watch for the Lakers will be the starting lineup. I assume Austin Reaves will be off his minutes restriction and back in the starting group, likely replacing Jake LaRavia. I have written a lot about the Lakers’ lineups and the possible post All-Star tweaks to find the best combinations around the star trio.

Lakers Lineups Deep Dive: A Testing Ground for the Summer Rebuild
Iztok Franko
·
Feb 18
Lakers Lineups Deep Dive: A Testing Ground for the Summer Rebuild
I’m traveling this week, enjoying Norway and its icy cold winter, with tons of snow and long cross-country skiing sessions. I actually planned to take a full week off from content. But I couldn’t help myself. Somewhere between climbs on the cross-country skis and trying not to freeze my face off, I found my mind drifting back to the Lakers.

Read full story
If Marcus Smart is the fifth starter, the Lakers need to start building continuity with this group. The lineup of Luka Dončić, Reaves, Smart, LeBron James and Deandre Ayton has played only 26 possessions together so far this season.

How the rest of the rotation looks, and especially the sub patterns of the three stars, will be just as interesting as the starting group. With Luke Kennard in the mix, the Los Angeles Lakers now have a more balanced bench. Two shooters in Kennard and Rui Hachimura. Two defensive-minded wings in Jake LaRavia and Jarred Vanderbilt. And a lob-catching big in Jaxson Hayes.

Lakers on offense | Clippers on defense

The Clippers will miss Harden’s playmaking, especially with Darius Garland still not available. Defensively, however, they are much tougher on the perimeter.

Kris Dunn is one of the most physical and pesky defenders in the league. His matchups with Dončić are always on the edge, often one whistle away from boiling over. Derrick Jones Jr. is another strong point-of-attack defender who can pressure the ball and chase over screens. With those two handling primary assignments, Leonard can operate as a roaming help defender, using his length to jump passing lanes and create chaos.

No Ivica Zubac is where the opportunity lies for the Lakers. Thirty-seven-year-old Brook Lopez, who played 31 minutes last night, does not have the foot speed to stay in front of Dončić, and even less so in front of Reaves in space. His backup, rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser, has only 35 games under his belt. We will see whether Ty Lue decides to trap the Lakers’ ball handlers or go small for extended stretches. Whatever the coverage, the center position, once an area of strength, is now a pressure point. That is where the Lakers must attack. We have seen Deandre Ayton dominate lesser frontcourts on several occasions this season, so this could be a real opportunity for him to regain some lost confidence and restart on a strong note.

The center spot might be the only real hole in an otherwise very aggressive Clippers defense. Over the last few games, Dunn, Leonard and co. have forced turnovers at a league-best rate and allowed just 102, 102, and 96 points in matchups against the Rockets twice and the Timberwolves. That same defense held Nikola Jokić to 22 points on 9-of-22 shooting last night in a win over the Denver Nuggets. Ball control and limiting turnovers, could once again be the deciding factor for the Lakers, who have had their share of struggles this season against highly aggressive perimeter defenses.

Clippers on offense | Lakers on defense

Without Harden and with Garland still out, the Clippers do not have a true point guard or natural on-ball organizer to run the offense. Leonard is playing at an incredibly high level, most recently highlighted by his 31-point outburst in 12 minutes at the All-Star Game. But he is not the type of player who will consistently organize the offense and create for others the way Harden did.

Not only do the Clippers lack playmaking, but without Harden and Zubac, the team that used to be difficult to defend because it had three different pressure points is now much easier to scheme against. In the last game before the break, the Rockets doubled and blitzed Leonard from the start, holding him to just eight points through three quarters before he exploded for 19 in the final period. Houston also mixed in zone, which created real problems for the Clippers’ offense, especially in the minutes Leonard was on the bench. The Nuggets also sent two defenders at Leonard for most of the game last night, while also playing zone in the second half.

I would expect a similar plan from the Lakers. Send early doubles at Leonard and force others to beat you. Especially because they will likely challenge Dunn and Jones Jr., two players with reputations as unreliable shooters, to prove they can consistently make them pay. The Clippers are not a good passing team, so scrambling defense or zone that forces quick decisions and extra passes is another way to test them.

The X-factor could be the newly acquired scoring forward Bennedict Mathurin. The 23-year-old is a talented but inconsistent scorer who can either shoot you out of a game or win one on his own, as he showed last night with a 38-point outburst against the Denver Nuggets.

Final thoughts
The Lakers should not underestimate this version of the Clippers. They may no longer have Harden or Zubac, but they are younger, longer, more athletic, and back to playing scrappy defense reminiscent of the team that finished third in defensive rating last season.

Unlike many teams in a similar position, they have no incentive to tank. Their wins against the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves attest to that. That should be enough of a warning to start the post-break stretch fully motivated and focused from the opening tip.

I’m wondering how LeBron’s & Reaves’ $80 million in cap holds factor into all this?

I want the Colonizer lineup..
Luka
Reaves
Jake
Maxi
Timme
Then I’ll enjoy a bologna & mayo sandwich on wonder bread.
Relax…it’s just jokes…lol

Lakers name Lon Rosen president of business operations. pic.twitter.com/u4UHXkSAZ9— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) February 19, 2026

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

Are the Clippers about to get sunk?

A true story from Sunday afternoon inside the $2 billion house that Steve Ballmer built (Intuit Dome): I’m using one of the many urinals that the LA Clippers owner is so proud of — there are more than 1,400 toilets in all, if you hadn’t heard — when his booming voice comes through the speakers with a mildly uncomfortable message for those of us in the men’s room.

“We love No. 2!” Ballmer bellowed as he addressed the All-Star game crowd before tipoff.

Get your mind out of the gutter: He was talking about Kawhi Leonard.

Yet with everything that has transpired in Clippers land these past five months, from the early September Pablo Torre podcast that detailed salary cap circumvention allegations surrounding Leonard to the league launching its investigation a few days later until now, the kumbaya vibe between this owner and this star player was quite a sight to see. Especially considering what might come next.

In the weeks leading up to Ballmer’s big bash, there was a significant upswing in league-wide speculation that the NBA’s hammer is likely to fall on the Clippers. This was a noticeable shift from earlier in the season, when so many seemed to believe that the Leonard/Aspiration scandal might come and go without any substantive punishment being handed down.

There’s still no official resolution on this front; NBA commissioner Adam Silver indicated on Saturday that the results weren’t yet in from the investigation.

“I haven’t come to any decisions whatsoever yet on the Clippers’ matter,” he told reporters during his media availability. “As you know, the league office is not directly running the investigation. That’s being overseen by a law firm, Wachtell, in New York. From everything I’ve been told, the Clippers have been fully cooperative. But as I said, I’m not involved day-to-day in the investigation.

”I think, as I’ve said before, it’s enormously complex. You have a company in bankruptcy (Aspiration, which gave Leonard a no-show endorsement deal that was allegedly facilitated by the Clippers). You have thousands of documents, multiple witnesses that have been needed to be interviewed. I will say, just in case anyone is wondering, the fact that All-Star is here this weekend has had no impact on the timeline of the investigation. Our charge to the Wachtell law firm is (to) do the work and then come back and make recommendations to the league office, and that’s where things now stand.”

For the past two decades, when the NBA has needed a sensitive issue investigated, it’s repeatedly called on the same law firm.

That last part about the timing of it all is worth unpacking, as there has been chatter among rival teams for months now that the league was delaying its announcement for the sake of salvaging All-Star Weekend. Yet until the ruling comes, the Clippers’ every move will continue to be analyzed by league folks and fans alike.

Did they give president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank a lucrative and lengthy extension months ago as a preemptive battening of the hatches? Was the Ivica Zubac deal with the Indiana Pacers perhaps motivated by the desire to secure first-round draft picks in case the Clippers have to forfeit draft picks? Did James Harden want to get out of Dodge, err, Inglewood (and off to the Cleveland Cavaliers) in part because of the chaos that might be coming around the bend? This is the sort of stuff that has been bandied about for some time now, and which will be interesting to revisit when clarity finally comes.

As for the actual basketball, the Clippers have done a remarkable job turning things around despite all the distractions (I didn’t even mention the unflattering Chris Paul exile). Since Dec. 20 — when they were an embarrassing 6-21 — they’ve won 20 of 27 games while posting a net rating of 5.6 that is seventh in the league. It remains unclear when newcomer Darius Garland (who came to the Clippers from Cleveland) will make his debut, as he’s continuing to recover from the left toe injury that required surgery in the offseason (he hasn’t played since Jan. 14). Our Law Murray reported on Wednesday that Garland isn’t expected to play until March.

I don’t think the penalties will be as harsh as most fans are imagining.

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

Where will LeBron James be next season?
Last week, after he became the oldest player to record a triple-double, 41-year-old James discussed one major factor that could determine how long the NBA’s leading career scorer stays in the league.

“My game is not going anywhere. It’s just my body,” James told reporters after the Lakers’ win over the Dallas Mavericks before the All-Star break. “[But] how long can I stay in love with the process?

“Because that’s always been my thing. If I can’t continue to stay in love with the process, then if [my mental commitment] goes, then my body’s going to go. And once my body goes, then it’s a wrap.”

Remarkably, James, who has averaged at least 33 minutes and 20 points in every season of his career, is on pace to add a 23rd consecutive year to the list.

James’ options for a 24th season? This offseason, the pending free agent can:

Return to the Lakers

Sign with a contender

Retire

Re-signing with Los Angeles would come with a significant pay cut from his current $52.6 million. But, few contenders are projected to have cap space this summer. For example, it’s likely that the Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets and Knicks could offer LeBron only the veteran’s minimum exception.

How will the Lakers continue building around Luka Doncic?
Since trading for Doncic in February 2025, the Lakers have been operating under two timelines: LeBron’s and Luka’s.

“Having optionality now is really a positive thing for us this coming offseason,” president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said after this season’s Feb. 5 trade deadline.

This offseason, the franchise’s top priority is re-signing Austin Reaves, who will likely decline his $14.9 million player option for 2026-27 to pursue a long-term extension.

Before injuring his left calf on Christmas, Reaves was averaging a career-high 26.6 points and shooting better than 50% from the field. (In five games since returning, Reaves has averaged 20.0 points on just 25.4 minutes.) “I’ve said it a million times. I want to be in L.A. I love it,” Reaves told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin in November.

“Even though the other extension was turned down, that doesn’t mean that I’m trying to go get a f—ing gigantic number that doesn’t make sense. I want to be here; I want to win.”

The Lakers, Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets are among the teams with enough spending power to sign Reaves to a lucrative contract. But as the Bucks showed when they waived and stretched Lillard’s contract last season, teams without cap space have methods to manufacture cap space.

Because of Reaves’ $20.9 million free agent hold, the Lakers could have up to $50 million in cap space this summer, the most of any team. To create that room, however, Los Angeles would need to renounce every free agent on the roster — including LeBron.

Besides James and Reaves, which other free agents should we watch?
Peyton Watson and Collin Gillespie.

In Watson’s case, Denver failing to reach an extension before the season could be costly.

“With the new CBA and the second apron, things of that nature, [the Nuggets] wanted to stay out of that,” Watson told The Denver Post in October. “As a business, you’ve gotta operate [based on] what’s best for your business. And when it comes time for me to make my decision next summer, I’ve gotta operate as a business myself.”

Upcoming NBA games on ESPN/ABC

Friday, Feb. 20
Mavericks at Timberwolves, 7:30 p.m. ET
Clippers at Lakers, 10 p.m. ET

Saturday, Feb. 21
Rockets at Knicks, 8:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, Feb. 22
Cavaliers at Thunder, 1 p.m. ET
Nuggets at Warriors, 3:30 p.m. ET

Watson is a restricted free agent this offseason, allowing Denver to match any offer sheet. The Nuggets are projected to be $3.6 million below the second apron next season.

Watson, named a Western Conference Player of the Week in January, is averaging career highs in points and shooting efficiency this season. And in 39 starts, he is averaging 17.5 points with a 50.4 field goal percentage and 41.7% shooting from 3.

Gillespie, meanwhile, has outplayed the one-year, $2.3 million contract he signed with the Suns.

He scored a career-high 30 points in a Feb. 3 win against the Portland Trail Blazers and has at least six assists in 16 games this season. The Suns are plus-4.8 points per 100 possessions when Gillespie is on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass.

Gillespie is eligible to sign a four-year, $66.6 million contract with Phoenix. Because he has early Bird rights, the contract must be a minimum of two seasons (not including an option).

As for the rest of the free agent class, here are the top names to watch:

All-Star level: LeBron James, Jalen Duren (restricted), Austin Reaves, James Harden (player option)

Top starter level: Trae Young (player option), Lu Dort (team option), Draymond Green (player option), Walker Kessler (restricted), Norman Powell

Starter level: Peyton Watson (restricted) Neemias Queta (team option), Collin Gillespie, Deandre Ayton (player), Harrison Barnes, Coby White, Mitchell Robinson, John Collins, Tari Eason (restricted), Rui Hachimura, Tobias Harris, Kevin Porter Jr., (player option), Isaiah Hartenstein (team option), Jaden Ivey (restricted), CJ McCollum, Kristaps Porzingis, Fred VanVleet (player option), Nikola Vucevic, Zach LaVine (player option), Andrew Wiggins (player option) and Mark Williams (restricted)