Lakers vs. Clippers final score: Kawhi Leonard scores 30 in Clippers' back-and-forth win

James Crabtree-Hannigan

•
Lakers vs. Clippers final score: Kawhi Leonard scores 30 in Clippers' back-and-forth win image

The much-awaited battle for Los Angeles lived up to the billing for most of Tuesday night, with the Clippers and Lakers going back-and-forth early and entering the fourth quarter tied.

But after trading runs in the final period, LeBron James and the Lakers stumbled to the finish and allowed the Clippers to seal a 112-102 win with an anticlimactic ending.

Kawhi Leonard was as advertised in his Clipper debut, scoring 30 points and orchestrating a second-quarter takeover to help erase a slow start. After hitting four of their first 16 shots, the Clippers made 14 of their next 16 and took their first lead at the 7:08 mark of the second period.

NBA PREDICTIONS 2019-20: SN's Finals picks | Award winners

They extended that advantage to 62-54 at halftime and may have put the game away early if not for Danny Green.

Anthony Davis (25 points, 10 rebounds) and James (18 points, eight assists) keyed the offense early, but Green kept the Lakers in it in the third quarter. The former Raptors guard exploded for 17 of his 28 points in the third period, keying a 15-0 run that helped tie the game at 85 entering the fourth quarter.

Both teams went on runs and forced the other into timeouts early in the fourth quarter, but a scoring drought of nearly three minutes put the Lakers down 101-90 with 5:42 to play. The offense scored just 12 points in the final eight minutes, and at one point committed four turnovers in under three minutes.

Leonard, Lou Williams (21 points, seven assists) and Montrezl Harrell (17 points) kept scoring on the other end, securing a win that will spark plenty of discussion in Los Angeles.

Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights from Lakers vs. Clippers on the NBA's opening night. Check out the best highlights from the game below.

Lakers vs. Clippers live score, updates, highlights

(All times Eastern)

Final: Clippers 112, Lakers 102

1:08 a.m.: The Clippers will win the battle of LA, as the Lakers' offense got quite sloppy down the stretch.

1:03 a.m.: Patrick Beverley gets an offensive rebound off a missed free throw, and it leads to a Montrezl Harrell layup, putting the Clippers up 11 with about three minutes left. Potential backbreaker there.

1:01 a.m.: Danny Green scores to cut the Clippers' lead back to single digits.

12:49 a.m.: Back-and-forth we go. Clippers score five in a row, and the Lakers call timeout.

12:45 a.m.: Five points from the Lakers out of the timeout, and now Doc Rivers wants to talk it over.

12:40 a.m.: The Clippers score the first seven points of the fourth quarter, and Frank Vogel calls timeout.

End third quarter: Lakers 85, Clippers 85

12:31 a.m.: Led by Green, the Lakers go on a 15-0 run to take a three-point lead. JaMychal Green immediately ties it up from the corner, and we head to the fourth quarter even.

12:30 a.m.: Danny Green has 15 points in the third quarter, cutting the Clippers' lead to four points.

12:25 a.m.: LeBron James with a trademark chasedown block and then draws an offensive foul. As good as it gets. 

12:17 a.m.: The Lakers pull within six with a slam from LeBron James, and the Clippers call timeout. Kawhi Leonard committed consecutive turnovers a few possessions back, one on a very dubious offensive foul call.

12:08 a.m.: The Lakers are struggling to get stops. The Clippers are on their second 8-0 run of the night.

Halftime: Clippers 62, Lakers 54

11:48 p.m.: The Clippers go 2-for-1 at the end of the half. Kawhi Leonard has 20 points on 11 shots. Anthony Davis and LeBron James have 18 and 14, respectively.

11:31 p.m.: The Clippers score eight straight points to go up 45-39 and force a Lakers timeout. Kawhi Leonard is up to 13 points in the second quarter.

11:24 p.m.: The game has opened up a bit in the second quarter. Kawhi Leonard is taking over on offense, and the Lakers are responding.

11:18 p.m.: Kawhi Leonard scores the first five points of the second period to give the Clippers the lead for the first time tonight, but LeBron James hits from long range to get the Lakers back on top.

End first quarter: Lakers 25, Clippers 22

11:14 p.m.: Anthony Davis scored nine points in the first quarter.

11:09 p.m.: The Clippers score their first 3-pointer of the game, but the Lakers answer that with a triple on the other end.

11:03 p.m.: The Lakers lose a timeout on a failed challenge of a foul called on Dwight Howard. (We're back on TNT, by the way.)

10:48 p.m.: LeBron James scores his first points of the new season, as the Lakers have opened up a 13-2 lead.

10:44 p.m.: They're going to overtime in Toronto, so the Lakers and Clippers will begin on NBA TV.

10:35 p.m.: The Pelicans and Raptors are going down to the wire as we await the tip in Los Angeles.

James Crabtree-Hannigan