The Clippers and Lakers will not need to wait long until the arena co-tenants meet for the first time in the upcoming NBA season.
With the featured duos of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and Kawhi Leonard and Paul George all potentially healthy, the teams will face off Oct. 20 at Crypto.com Arena in what will be a designated Lakers home game, according to people with knowledge of the NBA’s schedule, which is expected to be released in full in the coming days.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue is unbeaten in seven games against the Lakers since taking over two seasons ago, while it will be Lakers coach Darvin Ham’s first meeting of arena tenants since his hiring in May. The game will be the Clippers’ season opener, while the Lakers will open two days earlier, on Oct. 18, at defending champion Golden State, according to a person with knowledge of the schedule.
Later in the schedule, and for the second consecutive year, the Clippers will not be part of the NBA’s featured Christmas Day slate. The Lakers will reportedly travel to Dallas for a Christmas game.
Times staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.