The Los Angeles Lakers host the LA Clippers on Friday at crypto.com Arena in a Western Conference matchup between two teams that opened the season with wins. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET. This Clippers vs Lakers preview comes with both teams sitting at 1-0, with the Clippers ranked second in the conference and the Lakers fourth entering the night.
The season series begins with this game, giving neither side history to lean on. Both clubs are carrying one-game winning streaks, and both are dealing with notable absences on their injury reports.
Clippers Vs Lakers Game Information
- Date: Friday, Oct. 23
- Time: 10 p.m. ET
- Venue: crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- TV/Streaming: NBA League Pass, ClipperVision, Spectrum Sports Net, Spectrum Sports Net +
- Series: First meeting of the 2026-27 season
Those numbers come from one game apiece, so sample size matters. Still, the Lakers’ shooting efficiency and the Clippers’ edge on the defensive glass and in steals stand out early.
Lakers Outlook
Los Angeles opened its season with a 127-105 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. Three Lakers scored 23 or more points in that game: Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler, according to Bleacher Report. Kessler, acquired in an offseason trade with the Utah Jazz, leads the team with 9.0 rebounds per game and posted a line of 26.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 2.0 blocks, per ESPN data.
Dončić tops the Lakers in both scoring (28.0 points per game) and assists (7.0). The Lakers shot 56.8% from the field in their opener and hit 88.9% from the free-throw line, both strong early indicators. Last season, Los Angeles went 53-29 overall and 28-13 at home, though the roster has changed since LeBron James left to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, ending his eight-season run with the franchise.
On the injury front, Adou Thiero (left knee inflammation) and Cameron Carr (right oblique strain) are both listed as out with a return date of Oct. 25. Jake LaRavia is day-to-day with a right ankle sprain and has a projected return date of Oct. 23, making his availability for Friday uncertain.
Clippers Outlook
The Clippers routed the Sacramento Kings 121-96 in their season opener, a game in which Darius Garland led the team with 30.0 points per game to open the year. Brook Lopez leads the Clippers in rebounding at 11.0 per game, and Kris Dunn paces the team with 7.0 assists per game. Los Angeles finished last season 42-40 overall and 10-6 in Pacific Division play, averaging 23.7 assists on 40.5 made field goals per game.
This year’s early numbers show growth in ball movement, with the Clippers averaging 29.0 assists through one game, and their 14.0 steals per game lead all teams measured in this preview. The Clippers’ injury list is the deeper of the two. Bradley Beal (right knee inflammation), Max Strus (right foot plantar fasciitis), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right foot surgery) and Brandon Ingram (right heel surgery) are all out, each with a projected return date of Nov. 8.
Jordan Miller remains out following shoulder surgery, with a far longer projected return date of March 2, 2027.
Key Matchup
With the Clippers missing Ingram, Beal and Strus, their perimeter scoring load falls more heavily on Garland, who opened the season at 30.0 points per game. That puts pressure on a Lakers defense that allowed opponents to shoot 48.3% from the field and average 114.6 points per game a season ago, though this year’s roster is different with Kessler now anchoring the frontcourt. On the other end, Dončić and Reaves give the Lakers a scoring tandem that combined with Kessler for at least 23 points each in the opener. How the Clippers’ defense, which forced 14 steals in its first game, handles that trio could shape the pace of this one.
What To Watch
Both teams enter Friday undefeated and near the top of the Western Conference standings, with the Clippers at second and the Lakers at fourth. A win by either side would extend a two-game winning streak to open the season. The game also marks the first look at how Kessler fits into the Lakers’ rotation in a second game, and whether the shorthanded Clippers can keep producing at a high level with five players sidelined by injury.
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