(The Sports Xchange) – Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points and the Los Angeles Lakers stunned the Golden State Warriors 112-95 yesterday at Staples Center.
Clarkson, who returned after sitting out Friday’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks, connected on 10 of 21 shots from the floor and four of six 3-pointers as Los Angeles earned the biggest upset of the NBA season.
Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell scored 21 and dished out five assists as the Lakers (13-51) snapped the defending champion Warriors’ seven-game winning streak.
Point guard Marcelo Huertas provided a huge lift off the bench for Los Angeles, scoring 10 points and handing out nine assists in 27 minutes.
Seven Lakers scored in double figures, including Brandon Bass and Nick Young, who scored 13 points apiece. Julius Randle collected 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Stephen Curry finished with 18 points on 6-of-20 shooting and 1-of-10 from 3-point range for the Warriors (55-6). Klay Thompson scored 15 points, but missed all eight of his 3-pointers and managed to hit just seven of 20 shots from the floor. They were the only Warriors to reach double figures in scoring. Forward Draymond Green, who was limited by foul trouble, had nine points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Golden State played without forward Andre Iguodala, who had a tight left hamstring.
Los Angeles led 84-73 heading into the fourth quarter. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Young boosted the Lakers to a 91-75 advantage with 9:24 left. They pushed the lead to as much as 23 before it was over.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr removed his starters with 4:37 remaining and the Warriors trailing by 19.
The Lakers, who led by as much as 14 in the first half, built a 60-49 lead at the break on a solid half by Russell, who scored 13 of his 17 first-half points in the second quarter. The Lakers also took advantage of 11 first-half turnovers – eight in the second period – by the Warriors, resulting in 16 points.
The Lakers had just one miscue in the first half and none in the second quarter.
Overall, the Warriors had 20 turnovers (leading to 22 points) to 13 for the Lakers (13 points).
Golden State managed just four of 30 3-pointers (13.3 percent) to nine of 24 (37.5 percent) for Los Angeles.
