The Los Angeles Lakers had a very thorough and complete performance on Friday night, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans by a comfortable score of 118-104. The night was dominated by Deandre Ayton, while their backcourt was also very efficient. With LeBron James still sidelined due to sciatica, the Lakers relied on Ayton, Austin Reaves, and Luka Doncic to get things started, and the three produced a total of 75 points and 27 rebounds.
Los Angeles from the very first tip-off was in control of the game, hitting 52% of their shots from the field, and they then punished New Orleans inside, never letting the Pelicans even get close to their rhythm, except for Trey Murphy’s sensational night of 35 points on 13-21 shooting.
The Lakers simply responded at an elite level. Ayton was the force in the paint, Reaves was the closer, and Doncic was the orchestrator as the Lakers advanced to 2-0 in the NBA Cup.
When the Pelicans were trying to make a comeback in the last minutes of the game with the help of two three-pointers, Los Angeles was quick to respond and did not let go of what seemed to be a sure win since the second quarter. The Lakers appeared to be in balance, and they will try to ride the momentum wave as the in-season tournament gets more competitive.
1. Deandre Ayton Dominates The Paint In His Best Game As A Laker
Deandre Ayton had a tremendous game for the Lakers and set the tone on both ends, starting from the paint. He spectacularly went 10-for-11 from the court and had 20 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block as his final stats. With Luka running the show, Ayton took control of the paint right from the first quarter.
His +35 plus/minus was the highest of the night, and it contributed to New Orleans scoring just 52 points in the paint while grabbing 13 defensive rebounds himself. His physicality made the Pelicans ensure poor shots every time they tried driving in. When Ayton exerts this kind of force inside, the Lakers become an entirely different team that can even contend without LeBron James on the court.
2. Austin Reaves Continues His Elite Form
Austin Reaves pulled off another high-caliber performance with a score of 31 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 11-of-13 from the charity stripe. Every time New Orleans seemed to be coming back into the game, Reaves had a response. His most significant shot could have been his contact-floater of 16 feet to finish an 11-0 run that pushed the lead to 22.
Besides this, he got involved in excellent playmaking when he was on the floor, averaging 7 rebounds and 4 assists with only one turnover. His +16 plus/minus does not equal how important he was in taking control of the Pelicans’ defense to the end of the game. Reaves has averaged over 30 points in his last few games and has been a vital part of the structured Lakers’ offense as the team continues to play without LeBron James.
3. Luka Doncic Controls The Game Perfectly
Although Luka Doncic did not score the most in the game, he was the playmaker and the driving force behind the Lakers’ offensive production. He posted an all-around performance with 24 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals. Doncic also created at least five open dunks or layups for Ayton, the highlight of which was an alley-oop that made L.A.’s halftime lead 65-52.
His ability to distort the defense caused New Orleans a lot of trouble and consequently created shots for Smart, Hachimura, and Reaves. Doncic’s calm decision-making was also a factor as the Pelicans narrowed their lead to 8 in the fourth. He converted 9 of 13 from the free-throw line, and his +30 on the night indicates how much more effective the Lakers’ offense was with his presence.
4. Lakers’ Balanced Supporting Cast Seals The Deal
Beyond the stars, the Lakers’ role players stepped up across the board. Rui Hachimura posted 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, knocking down two threes and finishing with a game-high +30 among the starters.
Marcus Smart added 13 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals, providing defensive pressure that helped force 20 Pelicans turnovers. Even the bench, an area of inconsistency all season, outscored New Orleans’ reserves 19-24 but played with much better efficiency and decision-making.
Defensively, the Lakers had 13 steals and 5 blocks, which completely kept the Pelicans from establishing rhythm outside of Murphy’s hot shooting night. The group also controlled the boards, winning 45-42 and limiting second-chance points. The Lakers’ 28 assists, 60 points in the paint, and 22 fast-break points show a team playing with excellent confidence in a strong win.
