Lakers Rally Past Pelicans 110-101, Win Third Straight Behind Doncic and LeBron

The Lakers were in trouble. Down eight points with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, the crowd at Crypto.com Arena could feel the tension building. New Orleans had all the momentum. The Pelicans were playing with purpose, and for a stretch, it looked like Los Angeles might let another winnable game slip through their fingers.

Then something clicked.

The Lakers went on a 14-0 run. Fourteen straight points. The Pelicans didn’t score for over four minutes. And when it was all over, Los Angeles had outscored New Orleans 34-23 in the final quarter, escaping with a 110-101 victory for their third consecutive win.

Luka Doncic Was Everything the Lakers Needed

Luka Doncic finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists — and those numbers alone don’t tell the full story. When the game was on the line, Doncic made plays. He buried a clutch three-pointer in the final two minutes that effectively put the game away, and he controlled the pace of the fourth quarter like a seasoned veteran who’s been in these moments a thousand times. Because he has.

It wasn’t a flawless night. Doncic picked up his 14th technical foul of the season in the second quarter — he’s now two away from an automatic suspension — and he coughed the ball up seven times. But when the Lakers needed a bucket, they knew who to give it to. Every single time.

LeBron James Keeps Chasing History

LeBron James added 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, going 8-of-12 from the field in a typically efficient performance. But there was something else happening Tuesday night that deserves its own conversation.

James is now within two made field goals of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time NBA record of 15,837. Every basket LeBron converts at this point feels like a piece of history being written in real time. This Lakers team is carrying one of the greatest storylines the sport has ever seen, and nights like these are just the backdrop for something much bigger.

Austin Reaves Saved His Best for Last

If Doncic was the engine, Reaves was the spark plug. He missed his first eight shot attempts of the game. Eight. At one point, it looked like it simply wasn’t going to be his night. But Reaves stayed the course, and when it mattered most, he delivered — finishing with 15 points and hitting a massive three-pointer with 5:04 left to swing the momentum decisively back toward LA at 96-94.

That shot broke the Pelicans’ back. They never recovered.

Marcus Smart Was a Problem All Night

Marcus Smart’s final line — 10 points, seven assists, four steals, and three blocked shots — is the kind of stat line that wins games quietly. He was everywhere defensively, and his clutch three-pointer in the final minutes helped seal the victory. Smart finished a plus-13 on the night. In a game this tight, that kind of two-way performance is exactly what championship-contending teams need from their role players.

Zion Williamson and the Pelicans Fought Hard

Credit where it’s due: New Orleans put up a real fight. Zion Williamson returned from a one-game absence after an ankle injury and immediately reminded everyone why he’s one of the most physically imposing players in the league. He scored 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting and at times looked impossible to stop. Trey Murphy III added 21 points, and Saddiq Bey chipped in 18.

The Pelicans weren’t blown out. They built an eight-point fourth-quarter lead and had a legitimate chance to pull off the road upset. But the turnovers — 18 total on the night — proved too costly down the stretch. New Orleans simply couldn’t protect the ball when the game was on the line.

What This Win Means for the Lakers

The Lakers improve to 37-24 on the season and sit at sixth in the Western Conference standings. Three straight wins in the middle of a tough stretch are meaningful. Up next is a road trip to Denver on Thursday — a considerably steeper test.

But right now, this Lakers team is finding its rhythm. Doncic and LeBron are performing at the highest level. Reaves is willing to grind through rough nights to deliver when it counts. And the role players — Smart, Kennard, Hayes — are stepping up in critical moments.

This is what a playoff-bound Lakers team looks like when it’s locked in.