The battle of Los Angeles has a new chapter: on 25 November 2025, the Lakers host the Clippers in an Emirates NBA Cup group game at Crypto.com Arena, with tip-off set for 11:00 pm ET (8:00 pm local) and national TV on NBC/Peacock.
Game analysis
Based on the current form, this looks like a mismatch. The Lakers are 8-2 in their last 10, scoring close to 118 points per game on about 51% from the field, with Luka Dončić leading the league-level charge at 34.6 points and 9.0 assists per night and Deandre Ayton anchoring the glass. With LeBron James returning, the offense has another playmaker and a clutch player, even in the twilight of his career.
Defensively, the Lakers aren’t elite, but they’re solid enough. They are conceding around 114 points per game, near league average in defensive rating. Their big strength is forcing turnovers and turning those into transition buckets.
By contrast, the Clippers are still trying to work out who they are. At 5-11, they score a respectable 112.3 points per game, but give up 117.1. Considering they have James Harden and Kawhi Leonard on their roster, this is disappointing and not good enough.
Tactically, a few things stand out:
- Tempo & spacing: The Lakers are comfortable pushing pace after misses and turnovers; the Clippers prefer a slower, deliberate game. If LA (Lakers) can speed things up, they drag bigger Clippers lineups into transition where Leonard, Harden, and Ivica Zubac have to defend in space.
- Star matchups: Expect plenty of switches putting Harden onto Dončić in pick-and-roll; that’s a matchup the Lakers will hunt all night. On the other end, Leonard attacking mismatches on the wing is the Clippers’ best bet to generate efficient looks, assuming he’s close to full speed.
- NBA Cup context: Because this is NBA Cup group play, the intensity should feel closer to a playoff game than a regular November date, especially with point differential mattering in tiebreakers.
Players not available
Injuries are a huge part of the handicap here, and almost all of the uncertainty sits on the Clippers’ side.
Los Angeles Clippers
- Bradley Beal (G): Out for the season with a hip issue.
- Derrick Jones Jr. (F): Out at least until late December with a knee (MCL) injury.
- Bogdan Bogdanovic (G): Listed day-to-day with a hip problem and has already missed time; he’s genuinely questionable for each game.
- Jordan Miller (G/F): Dealing with a hamstring issue, also day-to-day.
- Kawhi Leonard (F) – Coming off a right ankle sprain; reports suggest a return around Nov. 23 vs Cleveland, but he’s been in and out of the injury report and will likely carry a “questionable/game-time decision” tag until there’s proof he’s fully over it.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers don’t have injured players ahead of this matchup.
Where they play
Crypto.com Arena holds just under 19,000 fans for basketball and has been the Lakers’ home since 1999. On Lakers nights, the banners, the lighting, and the lower bowl are unmistakably purple and gold, and that matters. For NBA Cup games, the league has leaned into the showcase feel with special courts and jersey combinations: expect a playoff-style atmosphere.
Knowing how American sports are, you should expect some kind of games and spectacles during halftime. If those are not of your interest, you can use the off-time to go to the bathroom, grab some food and/or drinks, or play casino games on your mobile phone. However, if you are going to the match as a foreigner, be aware that your favourite platforms.
Who will win?
Purely on current evidence, it’s hard to look past the Lakers. They are playing the better basketball by a wide margin in this part of the season. Furthermore, they have Dončić operating at an MVP level, with Ayton and LeBron serving as amazing complements.
The Clippers might have a chance, though, if Kawhi Leonard can return to peak Kawhi. If that’s the case, the game becomes a coin flip. But assuming a typical outcome, Leonard should be out of shape.
That doesn’t mean it’s a lock; this is still a single NBA game between two teams loaded with star power, and variance is always part of the story. But if you’re just looking for a directional read rather than a guaranteed outcome, the form, health, and home-court factors all tilt just a bit toward the purple and gold right now.
