Overview
- With a full rotation available, the Lakers opened their post‑break slate by beating the Clippers 125-122 as Luka Dončić posted 38 points and 11 assists and Austin Reaves scored 29.
- LeBron James added 13 points and 11 assists in just the 11th game this season alongside Dončić and Reaves, aligning with JJ Redick’s framing of the remaining schedule as a 28‑game sprint.
- Kawhi Leonard had 31 points before exiting late with ankle soreness, Bennedict Mathurin scored 26 before fouling out, and John Collins left after a facial cut requiring stitches.
- Cleveland won 118-113 in Charlotte for a seventh straight victory, led by Donovan Mitchell’s 32 points including 13 in the fourth, with James Harden contributing 18 points and eight assists and Jarrett Allen adding 25 points and 14 rebounds.
- Trade‑deadline moves continue to shape matchups, with the Clippers sending James Harden to the Cavaliers and acquiring Bennedict Mathurin in a deal that cost Ivica Zubac.