Top 5 highlights from historic Lakers-Clippers game

The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers faced off in a thriller on Wednesday night, with the Lakers erasing a 21-point deficit and coming out on top 116-112.

LeBron James had an incredible 4th quarter in which he scored 19 points, made five 3-pointers and dished out four assists. He outscored the Clippers by himself (19-16) to help the Lakers complete the comeback.

Wednesday’s game was the fourth and final matchup between the two teams for the 2023-24 regular season and produced tons of highlights. Here are the top five from the game.

5. Norman Powell’s buzzer-beater

I honestly thought the game was over at this point, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. It was a pretty cool shot from Powell, who caught the ball, turned around and hit a double-clutch shot at the end of the third quarter.

He recorded 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal while shooting 6-for-15 from the field and 2-for-9 from beyond the arc.

Powell played the entire fourth quarter and took five shots (all 3-pointers), making only one of them.

4. LeBron’s block in the first quarter

I mean, this is just as good as him blocking Andre Iguodala in the 2016 NBA Finals. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but who cares? The block was a nice one and got the crowd hyped a bit.

James definitely thought about swatting Amir Coffey’s shot right when the Clippers wing got the ball. Look at how he timed his steps right before he sped up and jumped.

He almost had a similar play in the second quarter, but it was unfortunately ruled a goaltending violation. Maybe the refs should’ve allowed the block to stand instead of sucking the fun out of the game (I’m being 100 percent sarcastic).

3. Terance Mann’s dunk on Anthony Davis

Some respect has to be shown to the Clippers despite their meltdown. Mann’s poster on Davis early on got the crowd going a bit and was undoubtedly impressive.

Davis is one of the best shot-blockers in the entire league, as he’s averaging 2.4 blocks per game this season. That number is good for fifth in the entire league.

The University of Kentucky product is mentioned as one of the top candidates for this season’s Defensive Player of the Year award, though his odds don’t appear to be as high as those of players like Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama.

Still, Davis is listed at 6-foot-10 and has a wingspan of 7-foot-6, so it’s pretty tough to dunk on him. Props to Mann for doing so.

2. D’Angelo Russell’s late 3-pointer

It might not be the sexiest play out there, but it’s definitely a good one. Just look at Russell throughout the entire sequence. He sat in the corner and asked for the ball multiple times, but didn’t get it.

When he finally did get the ball, he was basically in his shooting motion already and wound up swishing his shot. He then turned to the crowd and proceeded to shush it.

Honestly, it might be the most Russell play I’ve seen all season. I love everything about it.

He finished with 18 points and six assists. The former No. 2 overall pick is recording 22.6 points and 6.9 assists per game while shooting 47.0 percent from the field and 45.6 percent from deep since being reinserted into the starting lineup on Jan. 13.

1. LeBron’s entire fourth quarter

James scored or assisted on 11 of the Lakers’ last 13 field goals to lead the comeback, which is the largest fourth-quarter one of his NBA career. He didn’t hesitate in pulling up from just about anywhere on the court.

He finished the game with 34 points, six rebounds and eight assists in what was arguably one of his best performances of the season. The four-time champion said after the game that he felt as thought his showing in the final period was like a “superpower.”

Wednesday’s game was just another reason why James is still among the best players in the league despite being 39 years old and in his 21st NBA campaign.

Any future Lakers-Clippers matchup this season would take place in the postseason. The Lakers are 32-28 (ninth place in the West), while the Clippers are 37-20 (fourth place in the West).

Perhaps 2024 will be the year in which the two teams finally meet in the playoffs. Only time will tell.