INGLEWOOD, CA — Collin Sexton and the Los Angeles Lakers managed to get back on track with a 103-87 victory against the L.A. Clippers at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The Lakers improved to 4-1 on the season despite the absence of Luka Doncic.
Coach JJ Redick had said that with Doncic out, the veteran guard's usage and minutes would be distributed across the rest of the roster.
Sexton benefited from the available minutes. He had 21 points in 17 minutes of play through the first three quarters and finished the night with 21 points, four rebounds and two assists.
The former Alabama player has remained confident in his ability to contribute on offense but said he looks to “be a pest and change the game on the defensive side.”
Redick credited
Sexton’s mentality for helping provide a spark in the team’s bounce-back win after the Lakers struggled in the first game of a back-to-back.
“Whenever I step between those lines, it’s wartime,” Sexton said.
The guard remained aggressive throughout the game, shouting at Clippers guard Cam Christie and nearly getting into a confrontation with center Brook Lopez.
Quentin Grimes added 23 points, five assists and four steals in 38 minutes. Austin Reaves finished with 16 points and six rebounds in 31 minutes of play.
The Lakers had both Doncic and forward Ziaire Williams as surprise additions to the injury report ahead of the team’s game. Redick said both Doncic and Williams woke up sore after the Trail Blazers game Tuesday night. The Lakers wanted to be “cautious” with both players and made the decision to hold them out Wednesday.
The Lakers are in the midst of a five-game stretch over a seven-day span.
Doncic did not show any signs of back soreness or injury on Tuesday night following the 136-129 loss to Portland. He nearly produced a double-double with 41 points, nine assists and five rebounds in 39 minutes.
The point guard had a 52-point game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday, Oct. 25. The performance tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 10 career 50-point games, which is the 11th most in NBA history.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Collin Sexton steps up as Lakers beat Clippers without Luka Doncic
