2026-10-23 · 9:00 PM CT · Regular season
LA Clippers42-40
Los Angeles Lakers53-29ESPN standings data retrieved October 6, 2026. NBA comparisons use the completed 2025–26 regular season. Each upcoming fixture labels preseason or regular-season status.
LA Clippers2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 113.8 | 24 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 40.6 | 29 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 23.7 | 30 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 13.5 | 13 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 9.0 | 7 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 4.9 | 14 / 30 |
| FG% | 48.4% | 4 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 36.8% | 7 / 30 |
| FT% | 82.3% | 1 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 55.9% | 8 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 12.5% | 19 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.295 | 3 / 30 |
Los Angeles Lakers2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 116.3 | 11 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 41.0 | 27 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 25.9 | 17 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 13.8 | 16 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 8.5 | 14 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 4.3 | 22 / 30 |
| FG% | 50.2% | 1 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 35.9% | 14 / 30 |
| FT% | 76.3% | 26 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 57.3% | 2 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 12.6% | 21 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.320 | 1 / 30 |
ESPN team totals and game box scores checked October 6. NBA season averages and ranks use 2025–26; preseason game results are shown separately. Ranks are within the league, with ties sharing a rank; a lower turnover rate is better. Season offensive rebound rate needs opponent defensive-rebound totals, which this feed does not supply. A dash means unavailable. This game’s offensive rebound rate uses the opponent’s actual rebounds.
eFG% gives a made three its extra value. Turnover rate estimates the share of plays lost before a shot. Offensive rebound rate is the share of available offensive rebounds collected. Free-throw pressure is FTA/FGA. The calculations are (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM)/FGA; TOV/(FGA + 0.44 × FTA + TOV); OREB/(OREB + opponent DREB); and FTA/FGA.
LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers enter with scoring averages of 113.8 and 116.3. Start with the kinds of shots they get, not just how many points they score. A clean shot at the rim or an open three can matter more than another difficult jumper.
The shooting comparison is 55.9% eFG for LA Clippers and 57.3% for Los Angeles Lakers. That measure counts the extra value of a made three. If the defense takes away the first good look, watch whether the offense can create another without rushing.
Ball security is the next pressure point. LA Clippers turn it over on an estimated 12.5% of plays; Los Angeles Lakers are at 12.6%. Fewer wasted trips mean more chances to score and fewer easy chances going the other way.
After the shot, watch the rebound. Then watch which team earns free throws. Extra shots and trips to the line can keep an offense moving when the shooting cools. The season columns give the baseline; the game columns in our final breakdown will show which advantages actually held up.
Spreads and win probabilities are reserved for confirmed games within the next seven days. This game stays on the schedule; its forecast opens inside that window.
Last season 42-40 | 9th in the West | Play-In exit, missed playoffs
2025-26 efficiency 116.3 offense | 115.2 defense | +1.1 net per 100 possessions
The Clippers finished ninth at 42-40 and exited the Play-In. Their full-season numbers now describe a roster that barely exists. James Harden and Ivica Zubac left during the season, and Kawhi Leonard departed for Toronto this summer. Leonard's on-court units substantially outperformed the minutes without him, so removing him requires more than moving the scoring column to another name.
Lawrence Frank's new group centers on Darius Garland and Brandon Ingram, with Max Strus, Rui Hachimura and Gradey Dick providing perimeter options. Rookie Keaton Wagler adds a development piece. Ingram arrives after an All-Star season, but heel surgery and a partially torn Achilles will keep him out at the start. That immediately leaves Garland with a larger offensive responsibility.
The unresolved problem is a dependable two-way foundation. Garland can run a good offense and Strus can provide movement shooting, but the roster no longer has Leonard's ability to make difficult defensive assignments manageable. The frontcourt also lacks the certainty Zubac supplied. Frank has acquired younger talent and assets, yet the opening lineup still needs a credible plan for the possessions its intended centerpiece cannot play.
Projected finish is 14th in the West. We are not treating last year's positive net rating as a current strength after so much of its production left. Ingram returning effectively could improve the second half. Reaching the Play-In would require that improvement and a stronger defensive response than this roster has established.
Last season 53-29 | 4th in the West | Conference semifinals loss to Oklahoma City, 4-0
2025-26 efficiency 117.0 offense | 115.5 defense | +1.5 net per 100 possessions
The Lakers won 53 games, finished fourth and beat Houston before Oklahoma City swept them in the second round. Their plus-1.5 net rating was much less impressive than their record. That gap is a reason to examine the roster closely before assuming the same win total will repeat, especially now that LeBron James has left for Philadelphia.
Rob Pelinka rebuilt around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Walker Kessler supplies the clearest improvement, giving a 20th-ranked defense a stronger interior presence. Quentin Grimes and Matisse Thybulle add perimeter options, while Collin Sexton provides another scorer. Reaves returns after averaging 23.3 points, and the Lakers had productive minutes with the Doncic-Reaves pairing even when James was off the court.
The remaining hole is the forward rotation. Several newcomers can finish a play, but the team still needs size, reliable outside shooting and defensive judgment in the same lineup. Kessler cannot simultaneously protect the rim and repair every breakdown above it. With only 42 percent of last season's minutes returning, Pelinka has also purchased a substantial chemistry assignment for JJ Redick.
Projected finish is third in the West. Doncic's creation and improved rim protection support a strong regular-season floor. The projection credits the repair without pretending the Lakers have replaced every part of James' production. Their postseason ceiling depends on which forwards earn trust and whether the guards can protect Kessler from constant emergency work.
A matching published game video is not available in the verified archive yet.
