The Los Angeles Lakers just snagged a huge 103-87 win over the LA Clippers on Wednesday night, hitting their fourth victory in five games this season. This wasn’t just any win, either. It was the second night of a back-to-back, fresh off a narrow loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, and without Luka Dončić on the court. To make things even tougher, Austin Reaves, who has been lights out, had his worst outing of the season, shooting 6-of-16 from the floor for just 16 points and coughing up eight turnovers. It was the first time in five games he’d shot worse than 54.5% or tallied fewer than 23 points. But when the starters faltered, the bench absolutely came alive.
Bench Mob Answers the Call
When Reaves couldn’t find his rhythm and with Dončić sidelined, the Lakers desperately needed someone to ignite the offense. Enter Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Jarred Vanderbilt. These guys didn’t just contribute; they took over. Sexton was an absolute spark plug, dropping a season-high 21 points on efficient 6-of-11 shooting, including a scorching 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. He also added four rebounds and two assists, proving he’s ready to lead the charge. Mamukelashvili was everywhere, filling up the stat sheet with 13 points on 6-of-15 shooting, pulling down eight boards, dishing out three assists, snagging two steals, and even swatting a shot. Talk about making an impact!
Vando’s Debut and a Game-Changing Tandem
And then there’s Jarred Vanderbilt. Making his regular season debut, Vando didn’t even score a point, but his presence was undeniable. He chipped in seven rebounds and two assists, but it was his motor and defensive range that really stymied the Clippers’ frontline. Head coach JJ Redick couldn’t stop praising the bench, especially the Mamukelashvili-Vanderbilt tandem. “You can’t always read into like the single-game plus-minus, but very apparent in our good stretches of the game, just the impact that those guys had,” Redick told reporters postgame. Sexton finished with a +21, Vanderbilt a +23, and Mamukelashvili a +22. Redick nailed it: “They were great. They helped us win.”
The numbers don’t lie. When Mamukelashvili and Vanderbilt shared the court for 20 minutes, the Lakers absolutely demolished the Clippers, outscoring them by a staggering 27 points, 51-24. Redick highlighted their complementary skill sets as the secret sauce. Vanderbilt’s defensive intensity, like how he locked down Lopez, fronting him in the post and not letting him get the ball, combined with Mamukelashvili’s offensive versatility, spacing the floor, shooting, and playmaking, was a nightmare for the Clippers. Redick summed it up perfectly: “The pairing with Mamu, it’s probably the best pairing in terms of having another big out there that can space and shoot and playmake.” This early season showing from the bench, especially that Mamu-Vando connection, is a massive sign of what this team can do when the stars aren’t shining brightest.
This win, powered by some serious bench heroics, shows exactly what this Lakers squad is made of early in the season. With Dončić out and Reaves having an off night, seeing Collin Sexton step up with a season-high, and the Mamukelashvili-Vanderbilt duo completely change the game, tells us this team has serious depth and grit. You gotta be excited about what this means moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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