Doncic celebrates his 26th birthday in Lakers style, with LeBron by his side

Luka Doncic turned 26 on Friday, and instead of settling for cake and candles, he spent the night getting comfortable in his new city — and the Clippers' defense paid the price. The Slovenian guard, still getting used to his Lakers uniform after his recent trade, dropped 31 points in a performance that felt like a personal birthday gift to himself.

You could argue it was also a gift to LeBron James, who had 28 points and 13 rebounds of his own. With Austin Reaves leaving early with a calf injury and Rui Hachimura already sidelined, the Lakers needed someone to take control, and Doncic handled it like he’s been here for years.

The 106-102 win over the Clippers wasn’t flashy. It didn’t need to be. What mattered was that the Lakers walked out with their fifth straight victory — and a little more control in the Western Conference standings.

How the Lakers took control against the Clippers

This wasn’t a wire-to-wire cruise for the Lakers. They led by just five at halftime, 59-54, and were up 83-77 heading into the fourth. Doncic’s fingerprints were all over the key stretch in the final period, scoring eight straight points to push the Lakers’ lead to 98-88 with 6:23 left.

That should have been enough, but the Clippers weren’t quite ready to fold. An 8-0 burst, fueled by Ivica Zubac and Kawhi Leonard, cut the lead to 98-96 with just over five minutes remaining.

That’s when Doncic and Gabe Vincent delivered the small, unremarkable plays that win these kinds of games. A couple of layups stretched the lead back to six, giving the Lakers just enough breathing room.

Even then, the Clippers had their chances. Leonard had a clean look at a three with 21 seconds left that could have cut the deficit to one. When that missed, Bogdan Bogdanovic — who had a rough night — clanked another three 11 seconds later. That was effectively the ballgame.

Clippers offense sputters despite Zubac’s big night

For the Clippers, it was another frustrating chapter in what’s becoming a troubling post-All-Star-break trend. They’ve now dropped four of five since the break, and this one had plenty of self-inflicted wounds.

James Harden, who’s supposed to be a stabilizer in moments like this, missed 17 of his 22 shots, including 9 of 10 from deep. He turned the ball over six times and hit just one field goal in the entire second half.

Zubac did his part, leading the Clippers with 27 points and 16 rebounds, and Leonard added 21. But without Norman Powell (knee) and with Harden’s shooting falling off a cliff, there just wasn’t enough offensive support.

Kris Dunn, starting in Powell’s place, put together a stat line every coach loves — 14 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Solid work, but not enough to paper over the cracks in the Clippers' offense.

Where do the Lakers stand after their 5th straight win?

The Lakers' recent surge has them firmly in the Western Conference playoff mix. They’ve won five straight, losing just three times over the past five weeks.

That run has them closing in on Denver and Memphis, who occupy the second and third spots in the West. Oklahoma City still holds the top seed, but if Doncic keeps adapting this quickly and LeBron keeps stacking double-doubles, the Lakers have every reason to believe they can keep climbing.

They’re 2-1 against the Clippers this season, with one more matchup set for Sunday. That’s a quick turnaround for both teams, especially with Reaves’ injury and Hachimura’s status still up in the air. But the Lakers’ current form — and Doncic’s growing comfort level — makes them a tough out for anyone right now.

Around the rest of the NBA

Celtics 116 - Cavaliers 123

Donovan Mitchell’s 41 points helped the Cavs erase an early 22-point hole and beat the Celtics in Boston. Jayson Tatum put up 46 points with 16 rebounds, but Cleveland’s bench made the difference, handing the Celtics a rare home loss.

Pistons 119 - Nuggets 134

Nikola Jokic recorded his 28th triple-double of the season, finishing with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 15 assists. The Nuggets snapped Detroit’s eight-game win streak, bouncing back after losing to the Bucks.

Hawks 119 - Thunder 135

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 as the Thunder kept control of the top spot in the West. They cruised past the Hawks but lost Chet Holmgren to another injury, this time to his ankle.

Grizzlies 113 - Knicks 114

OG Anunoby hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with four seconds left to give New York a narrow road win. Ja Morant led Memphis with 25 points, but the Grizzlies have now lost four of their last six.

Suns 125 - Pelicans 108

Bol Bol had one of the best games of his career, scoring 25 points in just 26 minutes as the Suns avenged a loss to New Orleans. The Pelicans were missing Zion Williamson.

Nets 102 - Blazers 121

Shaedon Sharpe led Portland with 25 points as the Nets dropped their third straight. Brooklyn, still fighting for a play-in spot, played without D’Angelo Russell and got little offensive spark from the usual contributors.

Jazz 117 - Timberwolves 116

Utah edged Minnesota by one point, taking advantage of the Wolves playing without Anthony Edwards.

Bulls 124 - Raptors 123 (OT)

The Bulls came back from 16 down in the fourth to force overtime and steal a dramatic win over Toronto.

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