Lakers fall to Clippers in NBA opener
The Los Angeles Lakers received their championship rings on Tuesday night. They didn’t win, however, falling 116-109 to their fellow Staples Center tenants.
The Los Angeles Clippers were up by 22 points in the first half.
But by intermission, the 2019-20 NBA champs had trimmed the deficit to 56-54.
Paul George sparked the Clippers with 33 points on 13-for-18 shooting, including five 3-pointers, and Kawhi Leonard poured in 26, while Serge Ibaka added 15.
For the Lakers, LeBron James had 22 points, five rebounds and five assist and Anthony Davis had 18 points. Coming off the bench, Kyle Kuzma finished with 15 points. Dennis Schroder chipped in with 14 points and eight assists. Kentavious Caldwel-Pope, who started in place of Kuzma, had nine points. Montrezl Harrell added 17 points and 10 rebounds.
In the only other NBA season-opening game on Tuesday, the Brooklyn Nets walloped the visiting Golden State Warriors 125-99 in Steve Nash’s head coaching debut.
Lakers build big hole
After mounting the aforementioned comeback in the second quarter, the Lakers couldn’t keep pace with the Clippers on offense.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, making his regular-season debut with the club, watched his players pick up the offensive tempo in the second half and build a 109-94 advantage with 5 minutes left in the game.
“Our focus was on us,” Lue said, according to The Associated Press. “The Lakers, they deserved that ring. They had a great year, and you can’t take nothing away from them. Our focus wasn’t really on the Lakers. They were the best team last year, so congratulations to them again, but now we’re moving on.”
LeBron reacts to loss
Lakers star King James twisted his ankle in the fourth quarter and left the game.
Before the game, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver presented the Lakers their championship rings. That event overshadowed the game, LeBron admitted.
“I can’t even sit here and lie to you: It was just too much to kind of grasp, but we’re in it now,” he told reporters. “I’m happy today is over with and we can focus on the season. But it’s just a lot. It’s a lot to process.”