Good morning. The first Lakers-Clippers game of the season is tonight at 7 on Spectrum SportsNet. Both teams are 1-0 after blowout wins on opening night. On Thursday, the LA Kings won for the second straight game, 3-2 in overtime on Long Island, with Darcy Kuemper making 41 saves. The Ducks lost their fifth straight, and the Golden Knights lost 6-2 for the second straight game. Puka Nacua left Rams practice with a calf injury. Let’s get into it.
🚨 HEADLINES
🏒 Two straight. Brandt Clarke scored 2:43 into overtime and Kuemper made 41 saves in a 3-2 Kings win — Allan Kreda at UBS Arena.
🏒 Five straight losses. The Devils beat the Ducks 4-1 — Zach Cavanagh at Prudential Center.
🏒 6-2 again. Vegas allowed a power-play goal for the fourth straight game in a loss at St. Louis — Derek Hegna at Enterprise Center.
🏈 Nacua hurt. Puka Nacua left practice with a calf injury and is uncertain for Sunday — The Sporting Tribune.
See what else is trending at The Sporting Tribune.
📋 SCOREBOARD — THURSDAY
🏒 NHL: Kings 3, Islanders 2 (OT) · Devils 4, Ducks 1 · Blues 6, Golden Knights 2
🏀 BATTLE OF L.A.
Both teams looked ready on Wednesday. The Lakers beat Golden State 127-105. Walker Kessler went 12-for-12 for 26 points in his debut, Luka Dončić had 28 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and sat out the fourth quarter, and Austin Reaves had 23. Before the game, Dončić wrote a letter to the city: “Tonight we start our run for a championship.”
The Clippers beat Sacramento 121-96. They scored 41 in the first quarter, Darius Garland had 30, Brook Lopez had a double-double off the bench and rookie Keaton Wagler had 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Tyronn Lue liked the numbers: “We shot 52% from the field and 40% from three, those are some good numbers.”
Tonight, 7 p.m., Spectrum SportsNet, Crypto.com Arena. Garland’s backcourt against Dončić and Reaves, and Lopez and the Clippers’ bigs against Kessler, who had 11 dunks on Wednesday. Jake LaRavia rolled his ankle in the fourth quarter of the opener.
“That’s just the first game,” Dončić said Wednesday. “I think our ceiling is even higher.”
GO DEEPER
› Carlos Yakimowich: Walker Kessler delivers in debut as Lakers punish Warriors on opening night (The Sporting Tribune)
› Colin Costigan: Clippers dethrone the Sacramento Kings in regular-season opener (The Sporting Tribune)
› Eric Lambkins II: The letter that will set the tone for the Lakers this season (The Sporting Tribune)
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🏒 THE KINGS WIN AGAIN
After an 0-4-2 start, the Kings have won two in a row. Allan Kreda writes that Artemi Panarin scored in the first period. Rookie Victor Eklund scored for the Islanders in the second, and Matthew Schaefer tied it with his first goal of the season in the third. Brandt Clarke won it 2:43 into overtime, his second goal of the season.
Darcy Kuemper made 41 saves, two days after making 30 in Washington. The Kings are 2-4-2.
GO DEEPER
› Allan Kreda: Kings edge Islanders 3-2 on Clarke goal in overtime (The Sporting Tribune)
› Alex Hutton: Kings’ offense and Kuemper step up against Capitals for first win of season (The Sporting Tribune)
🏒 LOSING STREAKS
The Ducks have lost five straight. Nico Hischier scored on the power play in the final minute of the first period, and the Devils led 2-0 after one and won 4-1. Tim Washe scored Anaheim’s only goal, and Ville Husso made 25 saves. Zach Cavanagh writes the Ducks haven’t led at any point on this road trip after leading after one period in each of their first seven games. Pavel Mintyukov is day-to-day. “We keep leaving our goalies out to dry, too,” Jackson LaCombe said. “We got to be better than we are,” Joel Quenneville said. The Ducks (4-6-0) finish the trip Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia.
Vegas lost 6-2 again. Dylan Holloway scored twice and St. Louis beat the Golden Knights at Enterprise Center. Derek Hegna writes that Vegas has allowed a power-play goal in four straight games, and its penalty kill ranks 29th after finishing sixth last season. Brett Howden and Jack Eichel scored. Mitch Marner was away for the expected birth of his second child, and Alexander Holtz, called up to replace him, got his first point of the season. “We’re not pleased with this. I expect a response,” Ryan Craig said. Vegas (8-4) is at Columbus on Saturday.
GO DEEPER
› Zach Cavanagh: Ducks bedeviled again on the road, drop 5th straight (The Sporting Tribune)
› Derek Hegna: Woes bleed over as Golden Knights fall to Blues (The Sporting Tribune)
🍔 THE DEALS BOARD
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🌮 Jack in the Box — two free tacos with any drink, still listed from the Lakers’ opening-night win. Code LETSGOLAKERS in the app.
Tonight’s trigger: a Lakers win over the Clippers turns the tacos back on for Saturday.
🏟️ ONE GAME, ONE FRIDAY
Clippers at Lakers at 7 on Spectrum SportsNet. Both teams are 1-0 after winning their openers by 22 and 25.
Saturday: Michigan State at UCLA, USC at Wisconsin, Ducks at Flyers, Golden Knights at Blue Jackets. Sunday: El Tráfico, and Rams at Raiders.
📌 AROUND THE MARKETS
More Rams injuries. Puka Nacua left Thursday’s practice early with a calf injury and is uncertain for Sunday against the Raiders. Linebacker Nate Landman is in the concussion protocol, and Trent McDuffie is day-to-day with a groin injury. Davante Adams will have what Sean McVay called “more of a cleanup type of procedure” on his hamstring. With Adams out, Konata Mumpfield could get more snaps. “He’s one of those guys that when he’s been counted on, he’s delivered,” McVay said. “It’s a team effort,” Matthew Stafford said.
Fantasy Week 7. James Newell finishes his start-’em, sit-’em series with defenses and kickers.
GO DEEPER
› Rams WR Puka Nacua leaves practice early with calf injury, status uncertain for Raiders game (The Sporting Tribune)
› Derek Hegna: The message of closing out games came through loud and clear for Raiders (The Sporting Tribune)
› James Newell: Week 7 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Fantasy Defenses/Kickers (The Sporting Tribune)
📺 WATCHLIST — FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
🏀 NBA: Clippers at Lakers — Crypto.com Arena — 7:00 p.m. — Spectrum SportsNet
🎟️ GOING TO A GAME?
Get-in prices across Southern California, Las Vegas and Hawaii — brought to you by TickPick, the no-hidden-fee ticket marketplace.
🏀 Clippers at Lakers — Crypto.com Arena — $90
🏈 Michigan State at UCLA — Rose Bowl (Saturday) — $40
⚽ El Tráfico, Galaxy vs. LAFC (Sunday) — $100
🌴 TST TRIVIA
Before the Clippers moved to Intuit Dome in 2024, the Lakers and Clippers shared an arena for 25 seasons. What was it called when they moved in together in 1999?
Answer at the bottom.
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Trivia answer: Staples Center, now Crypto.com Arena.
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