The Los Angeles Lakers survived one of their most intense games of the season, edging the Denver Nuggets 127-125 in an overtime battle that felt like a playoff preview. Both teams traded big runs throughout the night, and the game ultimately came down to the final possession in overtime.
That’s when Luka Doncic delivered. After carrying the offensive load for much of the night, the Lakers’ star guard sealed the win with a clutch game-winner, capping off another huge performance. Austin Reaves also played a massive role with 32 points, while Marcus Smart turned in one of his best two-way games of the season.
Luka Doncic: A+
Game Stats: 30 PTS, 11 REB, 13 AST, 1 STL, 3 BLK, 6 TOV, 10-26 FG, 4-14 3PT, 6-9 FT, 43 MIN
Doncic logged 43 minutes in this overtime battle and finished with a triple-double, putting up 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. His shooting wasn’t particularly efficient, 10-26 from the field and 4-14 from three, but he kept attacking and creating offense all night.
He also made an impact defensively with three blocks, which is not something you see every night from him. Most importantly, he delivered the biggest shot of the game in overtime, knocking down the clutch game-winner that sent the Lakers home with the win.
Austin Reaves: A
Game Stats: 32 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST, 3 TOV, 12-21 FG, 3-8 3PT, 5-6 FT, 46 MIN
Playing a game-high 46 minutes, Reaves was fantastic. With 32 points on 12-21 shooting, he had success attacking the Nuggets’ defense and got buckets any time the Lakers were in a scoring drought.
He also had seven boards and six assists. He’s clearly confident in his ability to facilitate during the clutch time of the game. With that much focus on Luka, Reaves was able to find spots and exploit them, scoring on the Nuggets.
Marcus Smart: A-
Game Stats: 21 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 5 STL, 1 BLK, 8-15 FG, 5-12 3PT, 35 MIN
Smart had one of his best performances of the season. In 35 minutes, he scored 21 points and knocked down five threes, giving the Lakers an important scoring boost from the perimeter.
Defensively, he was everywhere. Smart finished with five steals and a block, repeatedly disrupting Denver’s offense and creating transition opportunities.
LeBron James: B+
Game Stats: 17 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL, 5 TOV, 7-13 FG, 1-3 3PT, 2-3 FT, 40 MIN
LeBron James played 40 minutes and put together a balanced stat line with 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists. He shot efficiently at 7-13 from the field while helping run the offense alongside Doncic.
The one downside was turnovers, as he finished with five. Still, he made several key defensive plays with two steals and helped stabilize the Lakers during important stretches of the game.
Deandre Ayton: B
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 9 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK, 4-6 FG, 1-4 FT, 27 MIN
Ayton produced decent numbers throughout his 27 minutes on the floor. He scored nine points and snagged nine rebounds while hitting 4-6 of his attempts. This included four offensive rebounds, which contributed to a second-chance opportunity for the Lakers.
Despite his limited scoring ability in his game, he was able to contribute due to his ability to create scoring opportunities through rebounding and offensive presence.
Rui Hachimura: C+
6 PTS, 4 REB, 3-6 FG, 0-3 3PT, 25 MIN
Hachimura logged 25 minutes and scored six points on 3-6 shooting. Most of his looks came from inside the arc, as he missed all three of his three-point attempts.
He added four rebounds but otherwise had a fairly quiet game compared to some of the other starters.
Jaxson Hayes: C+
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1-2 FG, 3-4 FT, 21 MIN
Hayes did a nice job for the Lakers off the bench. He played 21 minutes, scored five points by making all three of his free throws, and grabbed four rebounds, including one steal.
Jake LaRavia: C+
Game Stats: 4 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 2-2 FG, 12 MIN
LaRavia only had 12 minutes but managed to shoot and perform to his maximum. LaRavia managed to go 2-2 from the field and earned a C+.
Luke Kennard: C
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST, 1-2 FG, 1-2 3PT, 16 MIN
In his 16 minutes, Kennard scored three points, hitting 1 of 2 three-point shots.
Although he played well, he was limited to a single rebound and two assists.
Kennard just didn’t have many opportunities to get shots up.
