They met in the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament championship game in Las Vegas in December, a matchup the Lakers won over the Indiana Pacers.
There was less at stake when the two squads met Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena, but the game still held significance for the Lakers.
With the regular-season winding down, the Lakers are seeking home-court advantage for the play-in tournament.
The Lakers’ high-energy 150-145 win over the Pacers was a step in the right direction, giving them a 2 ½-game lead over the 10th-seeded Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference playoff race.