Los Angeles Lakers 103, LA Clippers 87: 31-16 second quarter and 48-28 paint edge

The Los Angeles Lakers won this one in the second quarter and in the paint. A 31-16 period turned a three-point game into an 18-point halftime lead, and a 48-28 edge in points in the paint held up through a sloppy night on both sides. The Lakers beat the LA Clippers 103-87 on Wednesday at Intuit Dome to move to 4-1. The Clippers fell to 1-3.

Quentin Grimes led everyone with 23 points and five assists. Collin Sexton added 21, going 4-for-7 from three, and Austin Reaves had 16 points and six rebounds.

How it was won

The Clippers led by as many as five early, but the Lakers took a 25-22 lead after the first quarter. The second quarter was the game. The Lakers put up 31 and held the Clippers to 16, going into the break up 56-38.

The third quarter was even in tempo but not in damage. The Clippers scored 28, their best period, and the Lakers answered with 29 to lead 85-66 after three. The lead peaked at 23. The Clippers won the fourth 21-18, which only trimmed the final margin to 16.

The box score explains the gap. The Lakers shot 35-for-79 (44 percent) against the Clippers' 26-for-74 (35 percent). Neither team shot it well from deep: the Lakers went 9-for-31 and the Clippers 10-for-31. The difference came inside, where the Lakers scored 48 in the paint to 28, and on the glass, where they won 48-41.

It was not a clean game. The Lakers turned it over 21 times and the Clippers 24. The Lakers also left points at the line, going 24-for-33, while the Clippers made 25 of 27. With the Clippers matching them at the stripe and from three, the work around the rim carried the night.

Reaves had a quiet shooting night from outside at 1-for-6 on threes, but Grimes and Sexton combined for 44 points and covered for it.

For the Clippers, Keaton Wagler scored 21 on 3-for-8 from three. Derrick Jones Jr. had 15 points and hit 3 of 5 threes, and Darius Garland added 14 points and five assists. Nobody else got to the leaders' line in the material, and 35 percent shooting kept them from mounting a real run.

Against the number

The market had the Clippers as slight favorites at home, closing at LAC -1.5. The Lakers won outright by 16, so they covered comfortably.

The moneylines closed nearly even, Lakers -108 and Clippers -112, and the Lakers side paid.

The total closed at 224.5. With 190 points scored, the under cleared by 34.5. Poor three-point shooting from both teams and 45 combined turnovers made it a low-scoring night from the opening quarter, and neither team topped 31 in any period.

The full line history is on the game page.

What's next

The Lakers are 7-2 now, having gone 3-1 since this win: a loss at Golden State, then wins over Toronto and Miami at home and at Sacramento. That includes two wins over the Clippers, 125-117 at home and this 103-87 result on the road.

Their next game is Friday, November 6, at home against the Portland Trail Blazers, on Prime Video, Spectrum Sports Net and Spectrum Sports Net +. Portland handed the Lakers a 136-129 loss earlier in the season, so there is a recent result to measure against.

The Clippers' next game was not part of the material for this recap.