After losing their first game of the 2026-27 NBA season to Damian Lillard’s Portland Trail Blazers, the Los Angeles Lakers headed into their second game of a back-to-back against the Los Angeles Lakers without superstar Luka Doncic.

The reigning scoring champion was dealing with back tightness, which led the coaching staff to rule him out for this game, with hopes he’ll be ready, along with fellow starter Ziaire Williams (left foot soreness), for Friday’s game in San Francisco against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center.

Fortunately, the Lakers made easy work of the Clippers, beating their crosstown rivals for a second time this season, 103-87.

Here are my three biggest takeaways from the Lakers’ fourth win of the season.

No. 3: Lakers Respond With Their Best Defensive Performance of the Season

The Lakers came to play defensively on Wednesday night, with everyone on the squad who got on the floor playing with energy and an intensity that Darius Garland and the Clippers simply couldn’t keep up with.

After giving up a season-high 136 points to the Blazers, the Lakers were able to bounce back with a vengeance, holding the Clippers to only 87 points while forcing 24 turnovers, recording 15 steals and scoring 31 points off turnovers.

Five players on the squad had two or more steals, led by Quentin Grimes (4) and Jake LaRavia (3).

Head coach JJ Redick has emphasized playing at a high level on defense since the start of training camp, and this new-look squad delivered on Wednesday at the Intuit Dome.

No. 2: Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton & Sandro Mamukelashvili Prove Lakers Have Legitimate Depth

Perhaps the biggest standouts in this game against the Clippers were the play of the leaders of the bench mob, with Grimes, Collin Sexton and Sandro Mamukelashvili having solid all-around performances.

Of course, Sexton stole the show with the clip of his intensity on defense going viral, but Grimes and Mamukelashvili put in the work in more ways than one. 

From Grimes picking off passes to start the break to Mamukelashvili filling up the stat sheet, highlighted by his 13 points, eight rebounds and two steals, to Sexton leading the way with a game-high 21 points, going 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.

It was an inspired effort, which should give Redick some confidence moving forward that he’s got some dependable players on the bench during the 2026-27 campaign.

No. 1: Lakers Overcome Austin Reaves' Off Night With Hustle & Rebounding

The biggest problem for the Lakers over the first few games of the season has been rebounding, and the team was dead last in that category coming into this matchup.

However, that seemed to change a bit during this game against the team’s crosstown rivals. Jake LaRavia led the way with 10 rebounds, followed by nine from Walker Kessler, eight from Mamukelashvili and six from Austin Reaves.

Perhaps the most notable change in this game was Jarred Vanderbilt making his season debut as the backup center, immediately providing a different energy on the glass and finishing with 7 rebounds off the bench.

Vanderbilt may have shown Redick that it’s time to play him more and continue to regret the signing of veteran center Kevon Looney, who was a DNP (did not play) against the Clippers by the coach’s decision.

Despite the absence of Doncic and Williams, and an uncharacteristically poor performance by Austin Reaves, who finished the game with 16 points, six rebounds and an eye-popping eight turnovers, the Lakers showed they can hold their own.