All Five Starters Score In Double Figures As Lakers Defeat The Pelicans

The Lakers were looking to stack wins and are not successful position to judge an force by its win-loss record.

So, erstwhile nan Lakers encountered a Pelicans squad that arrived astatine Crypto.com Arena connected Tuesday nighttime pinch a 19-43 record, they knew they couldn’t spend to place New Orleans. Especially since Tthe Pelicans had won 4 of their past 5 and because they person a talented halfway of young talent that includes Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray.

But pinch each 5 starters scoring successful double figures, nan Lakers (37-24) pulled retired a 110-101 win complete a stubborn Pelicans team.

Luka Doncic led nan Lakers pinch 27 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. But he was conscionable 10-for-22 from nan section and three-for-10 from three-point scope and he had 7 turnovers.

LeBron James had 21 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. But he had 5 turnovers.

Austin Reaves had 13 points connected four-for-15 shooting and two-for-seven connected three-pointers, 8 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Deandre Ayton had 13 points and 8 rebounds and Marcus Smart had 10 points and played his accustomed stellar defense, picking up 4 steals.

The Lakers had 20 turnovers done 3 quarters, which didn’t thief their cause.

They had conscionable 1 successful nan 4th fourth and that came connected a late-game 24-second usurpation erstwhile they were moving retired nan clock.

The Lakers didn’t thief themselves by losing their composure.

Doncic was fixed a method foul successful nan 2nd quarter. Luke Kennard received a method foul successful nan 3rd 4th and Deandre Ayton sewage a method foul successful nan 4th fourth aft being called for a foul blocking a changeable by Williamson.

When nan Lakers decided conscionable to play basketball, they had plentifulness of highlights.

Austin Reaves celebrates aft making a three-pointer successful nan 2nd half.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

James slipped trying to drawback a lob from Marcus Smart, falling down connected nan court. But James regained his balance, sewage nan shot and threw down a two-handed rim-rattling dunk while being fouled by Murray.

Smart and James hooked up again, this clip successful nan 3rd quarter. Smart stole a pass, leaped successful nan aerial and threw nan hoops to a sprinting James. James past threw nan walk backmost to Smart, who successful move threw it backmost to James for different dunk.

The Lakers recovered nan Pelicans to beryllium a fistful each game, falling down 78-76 astatine nan extremity of nan 3rd quarter. The Lakers were sloppy pinch nan hoops successful nan third, turning nan shot complete 10 times.

This showed nan Lakers that nan Pelicans were not conscionable going to beryllium a pushover.

“You know, they’re publically talking astir it: they want to beryllium successful nan play-in and everybody loves playing nan Lakers here, truthful it’s going to beryllium a reliable game,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said earlier nan game. “And I deliberation we person to do a awesome occupation of getting backmost and a awesome occupation of protecting nan pain..I mean, they’re conscionable astatine nan rim each nan time…They’re playing really bully hoops correct now.”