Lakers tip off 2026 by extending undefeated document in clutch-time video games

LOS ANGELES — With a little bit greater than 5 minutes to play on Friday night time, the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers had been locked in a recreation the place the most important lead for greater than three minutes was one level.

Grizzlies backup middle Jock Landale tried posting up Lakers guard Marcus Smart, and Landale wound up shedding the ball to Jake LaRavia. Luka Dončić tried to search out streaking Jaxson Hayes for a long-distance alley-oop, however the cross was so dangerous that the ball hit off the rim as if Dončić was trying a shot.

Fortunately for the Lakers, Jarred Vanderbilt managed the free ball, and it grew to become official: The Lakers had been in clutch time for the primary time since Dec. 18 at Utah.

The NBA defines clutch time because the minutes when a recreation is inside 5 factors within the final 5 minutes of the fourth quarter or extra time. No crew had performed fewer video games (10) or fewer minutes (24) in clutch time than the Lakers this season.

However, each NBA crew has misplaced at the least three clutch-time video games, whereas the Lakers entered their first recreation of 2026 with an undefeated 10-0 document in clutch time.

You see, the Lakers may get blown out in video games, particularly in opposition to title contenders. And the Lakers may blow large leads — the Grizzlies overcame separate deficits of 13 factors within the first quarter and 15 factors within the second quarter. And Thursday’s recreation was uncharted territory for the Lakers, because it was the primary time all season considered one of their video games was tied by means of three quarters.

But as soon as it bought to clutch time? A formality — Lakers win. And that’s what occurred, with the Lakers outlasting the Grizzlies 128-121 to enhance their document to 21-11.

In video games that don’t function clutch time, the Lakers are 10-11. And regardless of their total profitable document, the Lakers have been outscored by six factors this season. However, profitable is most vital. It’s higher to be the Lakers than the Golden State Warriors, a crew that has outscored opponents by 36 factors this season however has 11 clutch-time losses and is 4 1/2 video games behind the Lakers within the standings.

There’s no actual pattern dimension right here to attract sweeping conclusions for what works for the Lakers in clutch time. We’re speaking about solely 26 minutes right here. And it’s not like every crew spends numerous minutes in clutch time. Nor do you wish to, as an abundance of clutch-time video games shouldn’t be the mark of a championship crew.

The Miami Heat performed essentially the most clutch-time minutes final common season at 195, and so they had been terrible in these video games, shedding a league-high 28 of 42.

However, the crew with the next-most clutch-time losses final season had been the Minnesota Timberwolves, who went 20-26, solely to show round and beat the Lakers in all three clutch-time video games within the 2025 Western Conference quarterfinals. The Lakers had the seventh-best clutch-time document within the common season in 2024-25, at 23-16 in 119 minutes.

Has there been a typical thread for the Lakers in clutch time this season?

“I don’t know what the updated numbers are,” mentioned Lakers head coach JJ Redick. “Our defense has been really good in the clutch.”

Again, small pattern dimension. But the Lakers’ clutch-time protection final season ranked twentieth within the NBA. This season, the Lakers are twenty fifth total, whereas permitting 117.7 factors per 100 possessions, the league’s greatest clutch-time protection, and a stifling 89.8 factors per 100 possessions.

Lakers opponents have made solely 15 of 44 discipline targets (34.1 p.c), 5 of 21 3s (23.8 p.c), and 9 of 14 free throws (64.3 p.c) in 26 minutes of clutch time this season.

It’s like when a win is inside attain for the Lakers, and they should play protection for a couple of minutes, hastily, they’ve the personnel, effort and urgency to get stops.

“Obviously, when the game gets tight, you can press up, play better defense,” mentioned Dončić, who scored a game-high 34 factors and made extra free throws (17 of 20) than all the Grizzlies crew (15 of 23). “Trying to get it to 48 minutes.”

It helps to have Smart, who had considered one of his higher all-around video games of the season Friday night time. The Lakers outscored the Grizzlies by 18 factors in Smart’s 34 minutes, and Smart was in every single place. Smart had season-highs of eight rebounds and 7 assists to go along with 13 factors on 5-of-9 capturing from the sphere, together with 3 of 6 from 3, a steal and a block.

“Just my ability to create for others, and my ability to create for myself,” Smart mentioned of his efficiency. “But just always making the right play. I have a good IQ of the game, and allowing me to use my size and my skill set, because I can see the floor just as good as anybody out there as well. And making the right play.

“So for me to have the ball in my hands definitely is good for this team, and just gotta find out ways to do it within our offense.”

With Hayes and Smart within the recreation with 5 minutes to play, the Lakers blitzed Grizzlies level guard Ja Morant. Smart had his palms up as Morant tried to search out Jaylen Wells on the alternative wing. Smart deflected the ball, and the Grizzlies by no means had the ball down by one possession once more.

“I thought just down the stretch, once we got Jaxson back in there, we were able to execute a couple blitzes, got some turnovers,” Redick mentioned. “Just getting multiple stops in a row. But I know they scored a lot, and they only got credited for 20 fast-break points, 27 points off our turnovers. Their early offense, they probably had 70 of their points there.

“So I thought when we were able to set our defense, it was one of our better defensive games we’ve had in a long time in the half court.”

That Lakers cease led to an extended possession that didn’t finish when LaRavia missed a 3. LaRavia bought his personal miss, and Dončić arrange store once more. Dončić bought to the paint, the place Grizzlies ahead Jaren Jackson Jr. helped off the robust facet nook, leaving Vanderbilt broad open.

Vanderbilt’s fame is that of a non-shooter, however he has made at the least one 3 in seven straight video games. Dončić handed out of the paint to Vanderbilt, who made it eight consecutive video games with at the least one 3.

“It’s very key that he’s back in the lineup, and we love that,” mentioned LeBron James of Vanderbilt, who performed solely as soon as in a 10-game stretch from Nov. 18 by means of Dec. 10. “But we also need him to knock down a corner shot, occasionally.

“Teams are not gonna guard him. They kinda disrespect him over there, not even contesting the shots. And he’s put a lot of work in it every day at practice to shoot that same shot.”

Another robust defensive sequence involving Smart got here with just below three minutes left, with the Lakers main 116-112. The Grizzlies put each James and Dončić within the motion, with Wells dealing with the ball and Santi Aldama serving to to pressure a change from Dončić on Wells to James.

Wells bought to the paint, however didn’t pursue the rim due to Smart, who ranks tied for third in fees drawn this season with 9. Wells’ floater missed, permitting Hayes to finish the possession with a rebound.

Following that key cease, Dončić bought to the paint as soon as once more, late within the shot clock. This time, James was lined on the strong-side nook by Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward. However, Aldama helped on the strong-side wing. The cross from Dončić was not excellent, however LaRavia was capable of beat the shot-clock buzzer, formally ending the clutch-time portion of Friday night time’s recreation for good.

Finally, James subbed in for Vanderbilt and, like Dončić, was capable of finding considered one of his non-star teammates for a dagger 3. The Grizzlies trailed by three possessions with just below 90 seconds to go, and realistically couldn’t enable any extra factors.

They doubled Dončić to get the ball out of his palms. James was the following cross over for Dončić. While the Grizzlies recovered, James froze the protection with a pretend inside, leaving the Grizzlies with two defenders on Hayes and LaRavia. That opened up Smart for an open 3 that capped an 8-2 run and put the Lakers up double digits.

The Lakers will host the Grizzlies once more on Sunday with an opportunity to get back-to-back wins for the primary time in two weeks. Chances are, if the sport is shut late, they’ll win once more.

“We made some big-time plays offensively, we were sharing the ball, guys made some big-time shots,” mentioned James, who scored 31 factors, marking the primary time since March that he and Dončić every scored 30 factors in the identical recreation. “Mentioned Vando’s 3. Jake’s 3 on the other side of their bench, the end of the shot clock. Jax had a big-time dunk down the middle.

“So those are key moments. And then defensively, we was able to get a couple of stops, get a couple rebounds, that allowed us to kind of start pushing the lead up.”