The Los Angeles Lakers are set to face off against their LA counterpart, the Los Angeles Clippers, on Tuesday in an NBA Cup game. Their clash comes off as an important one, as both teams are undefeated so far in the cup.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes gave his two cents on facing off against the Clippers on Tuesday.
Jaxson Hayes Gives Hilarious Response to Facing Clippers in NBA Cup Game
Lakers center Hayes recently expressed his thoughts on the upcoming matchup against the Clippers on Tuesday. When reporters asked how he felt about going up against the LA rival in the NBA Cup, Hayes humorously mentioned that it was going to be an easy win for the Lakers.
“Free money,” Hayes said. “If we (beat the Clippers), we could probably win the cup. That’s all I know.”
Hayes then revealed that he doesn’t care about playing in Las Vegas if the Lakers advance to the NBA Cup’s playoffs. All that matters to him is that he gets his cash prize incentive.
“Nah, I couldn’t care less about Vegas,” Hayes continued. “I hate Vegas, to be fair. I just want the money.”
“Free money.” – Jaxson Hayes when asked what’s at stake tonight in the Lakers’ NBA Cup group play game against the Clippers. pic.twitter.com/Qe8H7e3Gy3
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 25, 2025
Looking at the NBA Cup standings, both the Lakers and Clippers are undefeated. Both teams have a 2-0 record. They are also part of the same group, West Group B. Having that in mind, whoever comes out the winner on Tuesday will get a major advantage in securing a spot in the cup’s playoffs.
While the Clippers may be undefeated in their NBA Cup games so far, it’s shocking to see how poorly they’ve been performing this season. The Clippers are currently in 12th place in the Western Conference with a 5-12 record.
Looking at how the Lakers have performed so far this season, their undefeated streak in their NBA Cup games is also backed up by their success in the regular season. The Purple and Gold are sitting comfortably in third place in the West with a 12-4 record.
It’s also worth noting that the Lakers are currently on a four-game winning streak. This means that they have all the momentum on their side to beat the Clippers on Tuesday. Having all that in mind, the odds of the Lakers beating the Clippers are high.
Meanwhile, the Lakers faced a setback ahead of the clash. They will be Without their starting center Deandre Ayton, who suffered a right knee contusion in the Lakers’ 108-106 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
