LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Kyle Kuzma scored 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers opened preseason play with an 87-81 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Friday evening at Staples Center.
The Lakers trailed 61-59 entering the fourth quarter. There were five ties and five lead changes in the final quarter. The Lakers took the lead for good on Quinn Cook's 3-point basket with three minutes, 37 seconds left.
Talen Horton-Tucker made two free throws with 3:08 to play increasing the Lakers' lead to 82-77. The Clippers pulled back within three on Daniel Oturu's dunk with 2:13 remaining.
Kuzma gave the Lakers an 85-79 lead with 1:47 left with his second 3- point basket of the quarter.
Terance Mann scored what proved to be the Clippers' final points on a 13-foot fadeaway shot with 1:27 remaining. Devontae Cacok scored the Lakers' final points on a 7-foot hook shot with 37.9 seconds left.
Horton-Tucker led four Lakers in double figures with 19 points. Center Montrezl Harrell added 13 and guard Dennis Schroder 10 in their unofficial Laker debuts.
Paul George led the Clippers with 10 points in 14:13 of play. The Clippers outscored the Lakers by 13 points when George was on the court.
Kuzma had the Lakers' best plus-minus at plus-14.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis both got the night off for the Lakers. Of the eight remaining Lakers who played in the NBA championship-clinching victory over the Miami Heat Oct. 11, only Kuzma, Cook and Alex Caruso played Friday.
The playing time for "some of the new guys" is still to be determined, coach Frank Vogel told reporters Thursday.
The game was played without spectators present. The Lakers announced on Nov. 11 that games at Staples Center will be played without fans until further notice following "the guidance of state and local health officials."
The Lakers will also face the Clippers in a preseason game Sunday and the regular-season opener Dec. 22.
Friday's game marked the unofficial debut of Tyronn Lue as the Clippers' coach succeeding Doc Rivers, who reached what the team described as a "mutual decision" with chairman Steve Ballmer to step down as coach after seven seasons.
Lue was an assistant coach with the Clippers last season when they lost to the Denver Nuggets in a seven-game Western Conference semifinal series after taking a three games to one lead.
Lue coached the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2016-18, guiding them to three NBA Finals appearances including a championship in 2016.