Good morning. A night after giving up 136 points to Portland, and without Luka Dončić, the Lakers held the Clippers to 35% shooting and won 103-87 at Intuit Dome. They’re 4-1 and have beaten the Clippers twice in six days. The Clippers have lost three straight. San Diego FC’s season ended in Vancouver, the Dodgers opened as the favorites to win next year’s World Series, and the Rams say they aren’t overlooking the winless Chargers. Tonight: Ottawa at the Kings and Buffalo at the Ducks, both at 7. Let’s get into it.
🚨 HEADLINES
🏀 4-1. Collin Sexton scored 21 off the bench and the Lakers beat the Clippers 103-87 without Dončić — Carlos Yakimowich at Intuit Dome.
🏀 Three straight. “We got really stagnant,” Tyronn Lue said after 24 more Clippers turnovers — Colin Costigan at Intuit Dome.
🏈 “I really couldn’t care less what the record says.” Sean McVay on Sunday’s game against the Chargers — The Sporting Tribune.
⚾ +325. The Dodgers open as 2027 World Series favorites after Milwaukee’s title — The Sporting Tribune.
⚽ Eliminated. Vancouver beat San Diego FC 4-1 to end its playoff hopes — Angel Rodriguez at BC Place.
🏈 “Put a cap on him.” USC’s defense prepares for Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith — Holdenn Graff.
See what else is trending at The Sporting Tribune.
📋 SCOREBOARD — WEDNESDAY
🏀 NBA: Lakers 103, Clippers 87
⚽ MLS: Whitecaps 4, San Diego FC 1
🏀 College basketball (exhibition): San Diego State 92, Long Beach State 67
🏀 NO LUKA, NO PROBLEM
Luka Dončić scored 41 against Portland on Tuesday. On Wednesday he was listed with back tightness and sat out the second night of the back-to-back, along with Ziaire Williams.
The Lakers won by 16 anyway. Carlos Yakimowich writes that they closed the second quarter on a 16-0 run, holding the Clippers to 17.6% shooting in the quarter, and led 56-38 at halftime. The Clippers cut it to seven in the third. Then Collin Sexton scored the Lakers’ last 11 points of the quarter, including back-to-back 3s, and it was 85-66 going into the fourth.
Quentin Grimes, in his first start, led the Lakers with 23 points and four steals. Sexton had a season-high 21 on 4-of-7 from three, Austin Reaves had 16 and Matisse Thybulle 15. The Lakers forced 24 turnovers, scored 31 points off them and held the Clippers to 35.1% shooting. “Sometimes it’s hard to get his attention because he gets locked in,” JJ Redick said of Sexton. “I’m going to do whatever my team needs,” Sexton said.
The Clippers have lost three straight. Colin Costigan writes they lead the league in turnovers at 23.2 a game. Rookie Keaton Wagler scored a career-high 21 off the bench, and Darius Garland had 14 on 4-of-12 with five turnovers. Rui Hachimura was out injured. “I thought tonight offensively, we got really stagnant, and we didn’t do all the things we’ve been talking about,” Tyronn Lue said.
Both teams open NBA Cup play Friday: the Lakers (4-1) at Golden State and the Clippers at Minnesota.
GO DEEPER
› Carlos Yakimowich: Lakers ride Collin Sexton’s spark to win over Clippers (The Sporting Tribune)
› Colin Costigan: Clippers crumple against Lakers, drop third consecutive game (The Sporting Tribune)
› Carlos Yakimowich: Luka Dončić out against Clippers with back tightness (The Sporting Tribune)
› TST Images: Lakers at Clippers (The Sporting Tribune)
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🏈 THE FREEWAY GAME
The Rams play the Chargers on Sunday, and Sean McVay says the Chargers’ winless record doesn’t mean much. “The film doesn’t lie. There’s a lot of really good stuff,” he said. “I really couldn’t care less what the record says.” The Chargers are coming off their bye. Kickoff is 1:05 p.m. at SoFi Stadium.
Davante Adams had surgery on his hamstring, and McVay said he could be back closer to six weeks than 10. Myles Garrett and tight end Terrance Ferguson aren’t expected Sunday, and Trent McDuffie was limited Wednesday. Center Coleman Shelton (hip), tight end Colby Parkinson (rib) and long snapper Joe Cardona (ankle) didn’t practice, and the Rams added Jake McQuaid as insurance at long snapper and brought back kicker Joshua Karty alongside Brandon McManus. “You have to go out there and earn it and do it,” Matthew Stafford said.
GO DEEPER
› Rams not overlooking winless Chargers (The Sporting Tribune)
⚾ FAVORITES AGAIN
Milwaukee won the World Series. The Brewers went 11-2 in the postseason, including the NLCS sweep of the Dodgers, and won their first championship. They opened 2026 at 20-1.
The Dodgers open as the favorites for 2027 at +325 at BetOnline, ahead of Milwaukee (5-1) and the Yankees (+750). The Padres are 25-1, and the Angels are 200-1.
GO DEEPER
› Dodgers open as favorites to win 2027 World Series (The Sporting Tribune)
🍔 THE DEALS BOARD
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🌮 Jack in the Box — two free tacos with any drink after the Lakers beat the Clippers. Code LETSGOLAKERS in the Jack in the Box app.
Tonight’s triggers: a Ducks home win over Buffalo gets $2 Sausage McGriddles at McDonald’s on Friday (breakfast hours), and a Kings goal in the final minute of the second period against Ottawa gets a free McFlurry.
🏟️ TWO GAMES, ONE THURSDAY
Senators at Kings at 7 on ABTV, the start of a seven-game homestand. The Kings (3-6-2) went 3-2 on their road trip but are 0-3-0 at Crypto.com Arena. “The record could be a lot different if we’re closing out third periods,” Peter Laviolette said Tuesday.
Sabres at Ducks at 7 on ESPN+. The Ducks (5-6-1) blew a 5-2 lead Tuesday and lost to Vancouver in overtime, a game Joel Quenneville called “terrible.”
Friday: Lakers at Warriors and Clippers at Timberwolves (NBA Cup), Devils at Golden Knights. Saturday: Ohio State at USC, Nevada at UCLA, Washington State at San Diego State, Austin at Galaxy. Sunday: Rams vs. Chargers, Wave at Bay FC.
📌 AROUND THE MARKETS
San Diego FC is out. Vancouver, the West leader, scored four times before Onni Valakari got one back in the 83rd, and the 4-1 loss ended SDFC’s playoff hopes. Angel Rodriguez writes they’re winless in 10. They finish Saturday at St. Louis.
USC gets Ohio State. Holdenn Graff writes that USC’s defense is working on trust after the Wisconsin loss before facing Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State’s career leader in catches, yards and touchdown receptions. Ohio State will start freshman Luke Fahey with Julian Sayin out. “So it’s not about trying to completely eliminate him, but put a cap on him,” safety Prophet Brown said.
JuJu Watkins is back. In her first game in 580 days, Watkins scored 18 in 23 minutes as No. 3 USC beat Cal 78-76 in an exhibition. Rey Moralde writes she’s a possible No. 1 pick in the 2027 WNBA draft, and the Sparks have two picks in the Nov. 15 lottery, with 36 of 1,000 chances at No. 1.
San Diego State looks deep. Six Aztecs scored in double figures in a 92-67 exhibition win over Long Beach State. “This team has a high ceiling, but we have a long way to go to get to it,” Brian Dutcher said. The opener is Nov. 3 against Cal State Fullerton.
GO DEEPER
› Angel Rodriguez: SDFC’s playoff hopes end in 4-1 loss to Whitecaps (The Sporting Tribune)
› Holdenn Graff: USC defense gears up for Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (The Sporting Tribune)
› JuJu Watkins returns as USC beats Cal (The Sporting Tribune)
› Rey Moralde: WNBA 2027 draft lottery (The Sporting Tribune)
› Eric Evelhoch: SDSU MBB vs. Long Beach State exhibition (The Sporting Tribune)
📺 WATCHLIST — THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29
🏒 NHL: Senators at Kings — Crypto.com Arena — 7:00 p.m. — ABTV
🏒 NHL: Sabres at Ducks — Honda Center — 7:00 p.m. — ESPN+
🎟️ GOING TO A GAME?
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🏒 Senators at Kings — Crypto.com Arena — $26
🏒 Sabres at Ducks — Honda Center — $28
🏈 Ohio State at USC — Coliseum (Saturday) — $46
🌴 TST TRIVIA
The Brewers won the first World Series in franchise history this month. In what year did they make their only previous World Series appearance?
Answer at the bottom.
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Trivia answer: 1982, when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.
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