The Los Angeles rivalry has a new look. Tonight at 7 p.m. PT, the Lakers host the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena in the season’s first meeting between the two — both 1-0 after opening-night blowouts, both led by new faces, and neither featuring the superstars who defined the matchup for years.
LeBron James is gone — now with the Philadelphia 76ers — and so is Kawhi Leonard, traded to the Toronto Raptors. In their place: Luka Dončić running the Lakers and Darius Garland powering the Clippers.
Dončić announced the post-LeBron era with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in Tuesday’s 127-105 rout of the Warriors, including a 49-foot buzzer-beater to close the first half. New center Walker Kessler added 26 points on a perfect 12-for-12 from the field in his Lakers debut, and Austin Reaves chipped in 23.
The Clippers answered with a 121-96 dismantling of the Kings. Garland poured in 30 points — 16 in the first quarter — while Brook Lopez added 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Ex-Laker Rui Hachimura gets an early reunion with his former team.
Video: NBA — Warriors at Lakers, full game highlights, October 21, 2026
Injury watch: the Lakers list Jake LaRavia (ankle) as questionable. The Clippers remain without Bradley Beal (knee), Brandon Ingram (Achilles) and Max Strus (foot) — and the franchise is still under an NBA salary-cap investigation.
Photo: Bruno Zanotto / BZFilms
Photo: BZFilms
Photo: KTIK
Source: KTIK, October 22, 2026
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