See the stars in high definition at OCC planetarium

• March 1, 2025

With repairs and upgrades made to its projection system, the planetarium at Orange Coast College is welcoming visitors back to its out-of-this-world theater.

Visitors can tour the stars and beyond and go back in time to experience the birth of the solar system in high definition during screenings hosted in the domed theater on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Today, March 1, the planetarium will showcase some of the shows that will be available in the coming weeks during a grand reopening with free screenings hourly throughout the afternoon.

Most tickets for today’s screenings were snapped up quickly, but there will be a standby line available, Jessica Artinger, the planetarium’s project manager, said. There will be solar telescopes out for viewing, and the Dennis Kelly Aquarium will be open during the 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. community event.

The $24 million planetarium opened at Orange Coast College in 2019 but was soon a victim of the coronavirus pandemic and forced to close. It reopened in mid-2022, but Artinger said the digital projector for the 125-seat theater soon started having issues, likely from having sat dormant for so long.

But it has been repaired and had upgrades, she said, and now “the darks are really dark.”

“I’ve been here for three years, and I’ve never seen it so dark in there,” she said. “It is mindblowing how good everything looks.”

Along with the revolving schedule of films exploring space, the theater hosts laser light shows set to popular music. For example, next up is a show using the music of The Beatles on March 4 and then Metallica on March 5.

Friday night, the planetarium hosted a Planet Parade Star Party with telescopes available to see the alignment of six planets on the horizon.

And, on March 13, the planetarium will host a viewing party for the total lunar eclipse. That will go from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., with peak coverage starting at 11:26 p.m. There will be a special show in the theater that night.

RSVP for the eclipse viewing party at orangecoastcollege.edu/community/planetarium, and find more information on show times, tickets and the planetarium’s hours.

​ Orange County Register 

Here’s why everyone seems to love snapdragons in the garden

• March 1, 2025

Recently, while visiting Jerusalem, I noticed a snapdragon growing out of a brick walkway. It was clearly a volunteer from a windblown seed. Snapdragons are Mediterranean natives with a habitat that stretches from Portugal to Syria. The flowers of wild snapdragons are invariably pink to magenta in color.

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are perennial although most gardeners grow them as annuals. Each year, you can extend their bloom period by removing wilted flowers and cutting flowering stems for vase arrangement. To keep snapdragons blooming for several years, allow the flower stalks to remain after they finish blooming. Just cut them back to where a set of leaves is growing and they will rebloom again when the heat of summer has passed.

And I should also add that if you must water them, do so from below since moist snapdragon foliage in warm weather is highly susceptible to rust, a fungus disease, also seen on roses that is expressed as orange bumps on leaves and quickly spreads from one plant to the next. Downy mildew and powdery mildew can also be a problem when leaves, in warm weather, are kept moist for even a short period of time.

Every gardener has probably experienced planting beautiful snapdragons acquired at a nursery, only to see them wilt soon after planting. The problem is that hybrid snapdragon varieties, especially the dwarf types, have shallow roots and if you water too often, their roots will rot. Of course, it may also be the case that failing snapdragons, when planted in the garden, were rootbound, meaning roots were growing in a circular fashion in their plastic cells and when they were planted, the roots were constricted and could not develop properly. Always pull apart or prune clumping roots of rootbound plants so that they can grow straight.

It is safe to say that everybody likes snapdragons. Children appreciate your making puppets out of them. Pinch the funnel-shaped bottom of a snapdragon flower between thumb and forefinger, let go, pinch again, and voila: It’s the snapping jaws of a snapdragon!

Snapdragon plants can be tall, medium or dwarf-sized. They flower best during fall, late winter and early spring, in mostly pastel colors such as sulfur yellow, mauve, magenta and pale pink, although ribald red and intoxicating burgundy hues are also encountered. My preferred snapdragons, the Rocket series, are not seen in nurseries. Rockets grow much taller than other snapdragons, reaching a height of three feet. As a bonus, they have a spicy fragrance and when a bunch of their stems are cut for an indoor flower arrangement, their mellifluous scent will fill up the room. Snapdragons purchased from a florist or at the nursery, unfortunately, are generally not fragrant.

Another notable Mediterranean wildflower that blooms this time of year is florists’ cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum). I have seen it, too, growing opportunistically out of cracks and crevices in Jerusalem walkways. This tuberous perennial can live for decades as long as it is deprived of summer water. It blooms from fall until spring with irresistible silky blooms in pink, red, and lavender, the perfect antidote to slate-gray winter skies. There are miniature hybrid cyclamen varieties that are now available too, with flowers and leaves shrunk to about half the size of the familiar type. Cyclamen foliage is heart-shaped and always meticulously patterned.

Remember, in the manner of most fall-planted bulbs, rhizomes, tubers, and corms, keeping cyclamen’s soil dry in warm weather is the only way to guarantee its longevity in the garden. If you are concerned that the tubers may be watered due to proximity to other plants, remove them after flowers and foliage have disappeared and store them in a cool garage or shed in a paper bag. Once summer is over, plant them out in the garden.

Cyclamen cold tolerance is noteworthy. Although top growth may be killed in a severe frost, tubers ensure survival and more flowers in the future. It should be noted that there is seldom seen extremely tough cyclamen species (Cyclamen hederifolium) that is suitable not only for dry shade and every type of soil, but for the coldest winters you can imagine, including those in North Dakota; it grows with ease and makes a fine ground cover that creeps along speedily enough at a height of four inches. In the manner of the familiar cyclamen planted for winter color, hardy cyclamen’s soil must be kept dry during its summer dormancy period to protect its tubers from rotting. However, in the case of hardy cyclamen, if you can keep it alive you will be rewarded with new plants sprouting from seeds that it self-sows without human assistance. It is widely available through Internet vendors, especially those who specialize in bulbs.

Cyclamen’s one absolute requirement is excellent soil drainage. If drainage is even slightly impaired, tubers may rot. One other point: don’t fertilize cyclamen much, if at all, or you will get lots of leafy growth at the expense of flower bud development.

When it comes to propagation, snapdragon’s tiny seed is pressed gently into the soil but left uncovered since it requires light to germinate. With cyclamen, its large seeds must be buried below the soil surface since they only germinate in the dark. You can also propagate snapdragons from stem cuttings.

Last but not least, the Yeroham iris (Iris yeruchamensis), which is endemic to the Negev Desert, is just about to bloom. In late winter or early spring, if you find yourself hiking in Israel in the northern Negev Desert, you are likely to encounter a fair share of Yeroham irises. These are dwarf bearded irises, seldom more than a foot tall, whose vivid colors range from bronze and burgundy to purple and black. I have not found a source for the seeds or bulbs of this iris species, but if anyone knows of where they can be found, please advise. Keep in mind that bearded irises, whose flowers are as opulent as orchids, are probably the easiest bulb plants to cultivate in our part of the world. They are available in a plethora of colors and need a bare minimum of water to grow. Unlike most other bulb types, there are select remontant or repeat blooming bearded irises as well. Note: Bearded irises actually grow from rhizomes, which are thickened starch-storing semi-underground stems.

California native of the week: Nuttall’s snapdragon (Antirrhinum nutallianum), an annual or biennial, is a plant that grows best when it is located in close proximity to a shrub such as Ceanothus where it can express its vining tendency. Violet flowers appear in the spring. Tangled snapdragon (Neogaerrhinum filipes) twines its way up adjacent plants more readily, although it is hidden by their foliage. Tangled snapdragon is an annual whose blooms are yellow and they, too, are seen in the spring. Island snapdragon (Gambelia/Galvezia speciosa), on the other hand, is a versatile perennial that blooms nearly all the time. It will sprawl in open ground, reaching four feet tall and spreading to seven feet but may also be pruned into a low hedge. Finally, if you plant it at the base of a tree, island snapdragon may climb up the trunk to a height of 15 feet.

Do you have a snapdragon, cyclamen, or iris tale to tell? If so, please send it along to [email protected]. Your questions and comments, as well as gardening conundrums and successes, are always welcome.

​ Orange County Register 

High surf advisory affecting San Diego County Coastal Areas and Orange County Coast Sunday and Monday – breaking waves of 3 to 7 feet anticipated

• March 1, 2025

San Diego County Coastal Areas and Orange County Coast are included in a high surf advisory issued by the National Weather Service on Saturday at 2:10 a.m. The advisory is valid from Sunday 8 a.m. until Monday, Mar. 3 at 10 p.m.

“Large breaking waves of 3 to 7 feet Sunday with local sets to 8 feet, increasing to 5 to 8 feet Monday with local sest to 10 feet,” can be expected according to the NWS San Diego CA. “Highest surf will be in southern San Diego County. Surf will decrease Monday night and Tuesday.”

“Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and localized beach erosion,” according to the NWS. “Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions.”

​ Orange County Register 

Erratic wildfire performance puts LA Mayor Karen Bass in a political hole

• March 1, 2025

We may be seeing the meltdown of one of California’s highest ranking public officials, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Ever since wildfires began sweeping through Los Angeles County neighborhoods, Bass has been a day late and a dollar short, as the old saying goes, in response.

It began with the embarrassing fact that when fires erupted, Bass was thousands of miles away in Ghana, attending the inauguration of the country’s new president. That could have been just an unfortunate coincidence, but she traveled after the National Weather Service had issued sharp warnings that high and hot Santa Ana winds were creating “critical fire conditions.”

Bass later blamed others for not warning her about the peril, but as Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez wrote, “She should have called me. I had all the information I needed, along with a garden hose at the ready, and so did everybody else.”

Bass rushed back to Los Angeles in a military plane but fumbled questions about her absence.

As recounted by the Times, “Standing in the city’s Emergency Operations Center, the reporter wanted to know: What did Bass have to say to critics who were demanding she step down?

“Bass, standing with a clutch of city and county officials, promised a ‘deep dive’ into everything that had gone wrong. With the fires still raging, she made it clear she was done with the question.

“‘I answered it in the morning. I answered it now. Won’t answer it again,’ she told the room full of reporters.”

Although the entire news conference was posted on the county’s Facebook page, the question-and-answer segment was omitted from Bass’ page — and that wasn’t an isolated case, the Times reported.

“On the mayor’s Facebook page, video from a Jan. 8 evening wildfire news conference also excludes the Q and A segment. The same is true of the wildfire media briefing posted from the morning of Jan. 10.”

In contrast, everything said in fire-related news conferences has been posted by county officials — implying that Bass is more concerned about her image than communicating with her constituents.

In the early days of the wildfire crisis, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley accused Bass of underfunding firefighting capability, and the mayor accused Crowley of failing to warn her of the impending fire danger.

Later, after the Times reported that Crowley had not pre-stationed fire trucks in endangered neighborhoods as had been done in the past, Bass added that to her bill of particulars against the chief and fired her.

That touched off a debate over whether Crowley was scapegoated or canned for poor leadership. Either way, it added to the image of a mayor who was flailing — as did media reports of discord between Bass and members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

It’s a well-worn axiom that political careers are often made or ruined by how officeholders perform during crises.

Gov. Gavin Newsom eagerly took command during the COVID-19 pandemic, with virtually daily video reports. However, many of his administration’s actions backfired, such as shutting down schools and paying out billions of dollars in fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits.

Uncharacteristically, Newsom has remained in the background vis-à-vis the wildfires, letting Bass and county supervisors share the media spotlight while he concentrates on sweet-talking President Donald Trump into providing wildfire aid.

In a sense, Bass’ erratic performance is not surprising. Before becoming mayor, she had spent her entire political career as a state or federal legislator, positions that require consensus building rather than take-charge action, particularly during crises.

Bass is up for re-election next year and if she wants another term, she’ll be starting in a hole she dug herself.

Dan Walters is a CalMatters columnist.

​ Orange County Register 

Kings prove no match for surging Stars

• March 1, 2025

DALLAS — The Kings went into Friday night’s game against the Dallas Stars having allowed an NHL-low 34 goals in the first period.

The surging Stars blitzed them for three in the first 20 minutes then doubled their total before the game was over, handing the Kings a 6-2 loss.

Logan Stankoven scored twice, Roope Hintz had a career-high four assists and Arcadia product Jason Robertson had his 25th goal and an assist for the Stars, who were playing at home for the first time in 26 days. Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston had power-play goals and Sam Steel scored a short-hander for a Dallas team that has won four of its past five games and has scored at least four goals in six straight games.

Jake Oettinger stopped 29 shots while getting his 28th win, matching the second-most in the NHL.

The Kings got goals from Warren Foegele and Trevor Moore, who poked a wraparound shot past Oettinger’s extended right skate. Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 26 saves on a night when Dallas also had at least two other pucks ricochet off the post.

It was the only regulation loss for the Kings in the eight games they played in February. They finished 5-1-2, with one loss coming in shootout and another in overtime.

Robertson scored from below the left circle off a rebound to give Dallas a 1-0 lead at 4:21 of the first period.

The Kings tied it 1-1 at 6:44 after Phillip Danault made a short pass to Foegele, who was cutting to the net, and he hit the net from in close for his fifth goal in the past seven games.

Kings forward Tanner Jeannot was whistled for double-minor high-sticking with 10 minutes left in the first, and Duchene scored with one second left on the first penalty to give the Stars a 2-1 lead at 11:59. His 24th goal of the season came via a nifty pass from Hintz and a secondary assist from Robertson.

After Oettinger denied Foegele on a short-handed breakaway during the second penalty, Stankoven scored on a rebound just seconds after it expired for a 3-1 lead at 14:11.

The Stars were on a power play when Johnston tipped in a point shot from Hintz to increase the lead to 4-1 at 4:57 of the second period.

Moore scored on a wraparound to trim the lead to 4-2 at 13:51 of the second.

Stankoven was the first to a rebound in front of Kuemper, and he waited the goalie out before sliding the puck across the goal line for a 5-2 lead at 4:06 of the third period.

Steel scored on a short-handed breakaway to make it 6-2 at 6:19.

WELCOME HOME

After not being home since Feb. 2, the Stars played the first of four games in seven days at the American Airlines Center, where they improved to 21-7-1. Dallas had three road games before the league’s 4 Nations Face-Off break, then resumed play with three more on the road.

UP NEXT

The Kings play at St. Louis on Saturday at 5 p.m. PT.

​ Orange County Register 

Turnovers, missed shots cost Clippers in loss to Lakers

• March 1, 2025

LOS ANGELES — The little things the Clippers did right early against the Lakers on Friday night turned into a lot of bad things down the stretch and it cost them a chance to regain an edge in their intra-city rivalry.

The Clippers lost to the Lakers for a second time this season, squandering chance after chance in a 106-102 defeat at Crypto.com Arena. It was the Lakers’ fifth victory against their former arena mates over the course of one-plus seasons.

The teams face off a final time this season on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena.

“You got to understand that down the stretch of games, you got to take care of the basketball,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “Every possession counts, and we didn’t do a good job.”

It wasn’t close to being OK.

The Clippers (32-27) played well in the early going, showing the type of energy and determination that has been missing lately. They played near-perfect basketball en route to a quick 17-7 lead. Then it fell apart.

Fouls and turnovers began to creep in, which allowed the Lakers to get back into the game. By halftime, the Clippers had seven turnovers that the Lakers jumped on for 12 points and the momentum needed to take the lead.

It only got worse in the second half, especially in the final five minutes when the Clippers had several opportunities to regain the lead. They had five more turnovers in the fourth quarter while shooting 2 for 9 from 3-point range, including a miss by Kawhi Leonard with 21.5 seconds left and the Clippers down by four and a miss by Bogdan Bogdanovic with 10.2 seconds left still down by four.

Trailing 67-65 in the third quarter, Leonard was fouled on a layup but missed the free throw and a chance to take the lead with 5:45 left to play. Kris Dunn, who was enjoying one of his best games of the season, picked up his fifth foul a minute later while guarding Lakers star Luka Doncic.

Doncic went to the line, making both foul shots for a 69-67 lead.

The fourth quarter was more of the same – errant passes, more turnovers and erratic 3-point shooting. The Clippers finished the night shooting 44.8% overall and 24.3% (9 for 37) from 3-point range with 18 turnovers.

“We talked about it coming into the game, how we got to take care of the basketball,” Lue said. “But overall I thought defensively we did some good stuff. I thought (Ivica Zubac) did a good job of switching on to LeBron (James) and Luka, making it tough and then we just didn’t secure the rebounds a couple of times when we did switch.

“But overall, pretty satisfied about our intent, so we just got to be better Sunday.”

And when the Clippers’ self-inflicted miscues and missed shots weren’t enough, the Lakers’ superstar duo did the rest.

James had 28 points on 12-for-21 shooting to go with 13 rebounds and three assists.

Doncic finished with 31 points on 9-of-22 shooting and went 10 for 11 from the free-throw line. He had five assists on a night when the Lakers shot 48.8% from the field and 33.3% (11 for 33) from behind the arc.

“Just them being smart enough to hunt the matchup, their shot-making obviously and their ability to pass (makes them tough to guard),” said Leonard, who had 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting but missed four of his six free throws. “They played well tonight.”

Zubac took advantage of the undersized Lakers, scoring a season-high 27 points on 13-for-15 shooting to go with 16 rebounds, but Harden had a tough shooting night (5 for 22 overall, 1 for 10 from 3-point range) to get his 18 points and had six turnovers as the Clippers lost for the fourth time in five games and the seventh in their past 11.

Lue said some of their struggles will be alleviated when the team gets completely healthy but there are just 23 games left in the regular season as they try to remain in the top six in the Western Conference standings and avoid the play-in tournament (spots 7-10).

Norman Powell, the Clippers’ leading scorer at 24.2 points per game, missed his fifth consecutive game with left knee soreness but Lue said the team is optimistic he will be back as soon as Sunday.

But Powell’s return won’t fix everything.

“I mean, we just got to stay healthy,” said Leonard, who recently was dealing with a foot issue. “We need to be healthy and that’ll help us a lot, but we can’t attribute the losses to that. We were still able to win his game and we couldn’t pull it out.”

​ Orange County Register 

Familiar finish as Santa Margarita girls soccer beats Santiago for CIF-SS Open Division title

• March 1, 2025

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ORANGE — Santa Margarita’s girls soccer team arrived Friday at its third consecutive CIF-SS championship match with a familiar drive honed in the Trinity League. Yet as the Eagles took the pitch against a growing rival, the uniqueness of their trek could be spotted.

Sophomore Kayla Burmood, who played most of the season on junior varsity, started at goalkeeper. Sophomore Felicity Nguyen and freshman Ella Bott took their spots in the midfield. And freshman Reagan Condon joined the back line.

Santa Margarita showed its depth and developmental skills as much as any other element as it faced Corona Santiago for the Open Division title for the second consecutive season.

Forward Cora Fry had two goals and an assist and Jastel David and Nguyen added one goal apiece as the Eagles beat the Sharks 4-2 at El Modena High for their record ninth section championship.

If the four goals in a premier division final weren’t impressive enough, Santa Margarita (17-1-3) delivered the output playing without injured starter Mia Corona (ankle).

“It’s a conveyer belt,” Eagles coach Craig Bull said of his program. “We literally have so many good kids. Look, the injuries happen. I’m sure they’ve got injuries, too. Everyone deals with it this time of year. My mentality is always next man up.”

“Even with the injuries,” the third-year coach added, “I felt confident going in. We’ve got better and better as the season has gone on.”

Fry, a junior committed to Tennessee, scored twice in the second half, including a critical strike with about seven minutes left in regulation.

Following a throw-in, Fry controlled the ball just outside the corner of the penalty box before turning and unleashing a right-footed shot into the far corner for a spectacular goal and 4-2 lead.

“You’re never going to score if you don’t take a shot,” Fry said of the goal. “I’ve done that (shot) before but I could feel in warmups that my shots were on point. I was super hyper, ready for this game.”

Bull called Fry’s goal “very special.”

“She’s a special player, and special players step up in a big moments,” the coach. “Cora did it today but we’ve had it from everyone.”

The strike from Fry answered Santiago’s second goal off a corner kick moments earlier.

Fry scored her first goal about 11 minutes into the second half by finishing a counterattack sparked by a lead pass by senior Emily Davey.

Santa Margarita’s offense heated up quickly in the first half. David, a junior committed to Utah, scored on a counterattack in the 18th minute after senior defender Natalie Leon cleared a corner kick to save a goal.

About one minute later, Nguyen netted her team-leading 22nd goal off an assist by Fry as the Eagles opened a 2-0 lead.

Last season, Santa Margarita lost to Santiago 2-0 in the Open Division final but toppled the Sharks the following week for the CIF Southern California Regional Division I crown.

For the Eagles, the road back to the section final came by blending five full-time returning staters with several fresh faces.

In the case of goalkeeper, the adjustments have been unexpected the last several weeks.

Burmood entered the lineup for freshman Kaitlin Crossett, who suffered a wrist injury on Tuesday, Bull said.

Crossett emerged as Santa Margarita’s goalie after junior Peyton Trayer lost her eligibility in a midseason controversy involving several of the top players in the Southern Section. Trayer, who is committed to reigning NCAA champion North Carolina, became ineligible for participating in a camp in Brazil sponsored by the Kansas City Current.

Trayer’s heroics, especially in penalty kicks, helped the Eagles claim the CIF-SS Division 1 title in 2023 and two regional crowns.

Burmood delivered five saves against Santiago (21-3-2).

“I don’t know if we ever had any doubts,” Fry said. “Yes, with the Trayer situation and some players we lost, we knew it would be difficult. But we just knew if we all played to the best of our abilities and played together, we will win.”

Nguyen’s rise softened the loss of two-time Orange County player of the year Faith George. Now a freshman at USC, George led Santa Margarita in scoring the past two seasons.

Condon teamed on the back line with Leon, Sadie Recupero and Emma Newman.

“I think this is the best team we’ve had (in my tenure),” Bull said, “and that’s hard to say considering what the previous two years teams have had.”

“This year’s team is so clinical. Four goals in a final. That just doesn’t normally happen,” the coach added. “Credit to the forwards. Today, they won us the game.”

Both teams are expected to play in the regional playoffs next week.

​ Orange County Register 

Luka Doncic, LeBron James lead Lakers past Clippers for 5th straight win

• March 1, 2025

LOS ANGELES — Even though they’ve only played seven games together as teammates, it’s already become customary for LeBron James and Luka Doncic to lead the Lakers to victories.

The Lakers’ 106-102 victory over the Clippers on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, the Clippers’ first game at their old home arena since moving into the Intuit Dome, was not only their fifth straight win and 17th in their last 21 games, but also their fifth win of the Doncic-James era.

But even with birthday boy Doncic (31 points, five assists, two rebounds) and James (28 points, 13 rebounds, three assists) combining for 59 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists, the Lakers (37-21) needed more than just their stars to improve to a season-best 16 games above .500 – especially playing most of the game without two of their normal starters on the second night of a back-to-back set.

“Our bench, we didn’t start well defensively,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And then our bench came in and just gave us a massive lift on the second night of a back-to-back with their energy and activity.”

The Lakers needed Jarred Vanderbilt to be a pest defensively – including stopping James Harden in isolation late in the third quarter before drawing a foul on Harden while fighting for a loose ball.

“They gave us life in this game,” said Doncic, celebrating his 26th birthday with another win. “And when the second group with Bron came out, they pushed the ball, they defended. They showed us how we [needed] to play. Without them, we don’t win this game. … We showed our character today.”

The Lakers needed two-way contract players Jordan Goodwin (six points, five rebounds, two assists) and Trey Jemison (five points, six rebounds) to step up in their increased opportunities, both standing out with hustle plays.

“They’re already a tough group; they bring more toughness,” James said. “Just those dog factors. They make plays – hustle plays, 50/50 balls, they get after it. They have definitely given us some great minutes in the minutes they’ve been out there for us.”

The Lakers also needed Dorian Finney-Smith’s steal with 2:19 remaining, which led to Doncic feeding James on a layup in transition for a 104-98 lead. After Harden missed two clean 3-point attempts, Doncic found Jaxson Hayes for a dunk and a 106-98 lead.

The Clippers won a pair of challenges late to gain possession while down by four points, but Bogdan Bogdanović’s 3-point attempt with 10 seconds left rattled out, sealing the victory for the Lakers against their former co-tenants.

The Lakers have beaten the Clippers in five of the last seven matchups between the teams after the Clippers had run off 11 in a row (part of a stretch that saw the Clippers win 36 of 43 meetings).

“We got out to a good lead in the first quarter, then they came back,” Clippers coach Ty Lue said. “That’s been the tale since I’ve been here the past five years.”

Ivica Zubac had a season-high 27 points and 16 rebounds for the Clippers, who have lost four of five since the All-Star break. Kawhi Leonard had 21 points, four rebounds and three assists, and Harden had 18 in a 5-for-22 shooting performance (1 for 10 from 3-point range).

Kris Dunn added 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

After struggling with his outside shot for most of Friday, Doncic knocked down a pair of step-back 3-pointers midway through the fourth, putting the Lakers up by 10 (98-88) with just over six minutes left.

“[I’ve] got a long way to go,” he said. “But slowly, I’m starting to feel like myself.”

Doncic feeling more like himself would be great, because the Lakers could remain short-handed for at least the immediate future.

The Lakers went into the game without starting forward Rui Hachimura, who sat out because of a strained left knee. Redick said Hachimura had imaging done on the knee, with Hachimura being diagnosed with left [patellar] tendinopathy.

Redick said Hachimura would be reassessed in a week.

Starting guard Austin Reaves exited the game early in the first quarter, heading to the locker room after being subbed out as part of his normal rotation pattern.

The team said during the second quarter that Reaves would not return because of right calf soreness. ESPN reported during Friday’s game that Reaves was scheduled to get an MRI on Saturday.

“Don’t have anything other than he was experiencing some tightness in the calf, some soreness,” Redick said after the game. “Was held out as a precaution.”

The Lakers – who are now tied with Denver (39-21) and Memphis (38-21) for the second-fewest losses in the Western Conference – play host to the Clippers again on Sunday night.

“It takes a while for a group to develop an identity,” Redick said. “It takes a while for a group to develop a collective mentality. There have been a lot of things that have happened this season. I think our group, our ecosystem was created and it’s been sustained since mid-January. And there was flashes of it throughout the early parts of the year. But I like who we are right now as a team.”

​ Orange County Register