Lakers Start 2026 on Fire by Extending Their Perfect Clutch-Time Record
The Los Angeles Lakers opened 2026 exactly how they have finished nearly every close game this season: calm, composed, and ruthless when it matters most. In a hard-fought 128–121 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Lakers extended their perfect clutch-time record, improving to 10–0 in games decided within five points in the final five minutes.
What made Friday night different was not just the result, but how unfamiliar the situation was. For the first time all season, the Lakers entered the fourth quarter of a game tied. With just over five minutes remaining, neither team had led by more than a single point for several minutes. Yet once the game officially entered clutch time — defined by the NBA as the final five minutes of a game within five points — the Lakers flipped a switch.
Defense set the tone. The Lakers have played fewer clutch-time minutes than any team in the league this season, but when those moments arrive, they’ve been dominant. Opponents are shooting just 34 percent from the field and under 24 percent from three during those minutes, while averaging an elite-low 89.8 points per 100 possessions. Against Memphis, that identity showed again.
Much of it came down to personnel and urgency. Marcus Smart delivered one of his most impactful all-around performances in a Lakers uniform. Smart finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block, and the Lakers outscored the Grizzlies by 18 points during his 34 minutes on the floor. His defensive instincts were everywhere — deflections, rotations, and timely charges — including a key sequence late when he disrupted a Memphis possession and ensured they never got another clean look in a one-possession game.
Head coach JJ Redick praised the team’s ability to lock in once the Lakers were able to set their half-court defense. “When we were able to set our defense, it was one of our better defensive games we’ve had in a long time,” Redick said afterward.
The return of Jarred Vanderbilt has also quietly changed the Lakers’ late-game formula. Known primarily as a defender, Vanderbilt has now made at least one three-pointer in eight straight games, forcing defenses to respect him. In the fourth quarter, Memphis helped off Vanderbilt to load up on stars — and paid for it. Vanderbilt knocked down another corner three, stretching the defense just enough to open driving lanes for the Lakers’ creators.
Lakers Start 2026 on Fire as Late-Game Defense and Star Composure Seal Another Statement Win
“That’s very key that he’s back in the lineup, and we love that,” said LeBron James, who scored 31 points and repeatedly made the right read late rather than forcing shots.
James and Luka Dončić were masterful in crunch time. Dončić finished with a game-high 34 points, getting to the free-throw line at will and manipulating double teams. When Memphis blitzed him, he trusted the pass. When they stayed home, he attacked the paint. James complemented him perfectly, freezing defenders with fakes and finding teammates for dagger threes.
The defining sequence came in the final three minutes. With the Lakers holding a slim lead, they blitzed Ja Morant, forced rushed decisions, and secured multiple stops in a row. One long defensive stand ended with Vanderbilt controlling a loose ball — officially pushing the game into true clutch territory. From there, the Lakers never looked back.
What makes this run remarkable is the contrast. In non-clutch games, the Lakers are just 10–11 and have been outscored overall this season. They’ve blown big leads, including Friday night, when Memphis erased deficits of 13 and 15 points earlier in the game. But when the margin tightens late, the Lakers suddenly look like a different team — organized, physical, and decisive.
“No team wants to live in clutch time,” Dončić admitted. “But when it happens, you press up, play better defense, and make the right plays.”
That ability has separated the Lakers from teams like the Golden State Warriors, who have dominated overall point differential but struggled mightily in late-game situations. For Los Angeles, the formula is simple: defend with purpose, trust their stars’ decision-making, and capitalize on opponents’ mistakes.
Read Also : Coi Leray Kicks Off 2026 With 1 Fearless Claim, Declaring Herself “The Baddest” as Social Media Fully Agrees
As the Lakers begin 2026, one truth is becoming impossible to ignore. If the game is close late, chances are they’re walking off the floor with a win — and so far, no one has found a way to stop it.
