Lakers Escape New Orleans with 111-103 Win Behind Star Power and Late Surge
It is often said in the NBA that great players don’t just score points; they break the spirit of the opposition. On Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers provided a masterclass in that very concept. Facing a desperate New Orleans Pelicans team riding a seven-game losing streak, the Lakers leaned on their star-studded core to orchestrate a fourth-quarter takeover that felt as inevitable as it was impressive, securing a 111-103 victory.
While the final score suggests a tight contest, the game was a tale of two different gears. The Pelicans, fighting for their competitive lives, played with the frantic energy of a team trying to stop a freefall. The Lakers, conversely, played with the calculated patience of a predator waiting for the right moment to strike. When that moment arrived early in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles didn’t hesitate.
LeBron and Luka: A Pick-Your-Poison Nightmare
The partnership between LeBron James and Luka Doncic continues to be the engine driving this Lakers resurgence. Tuesday night was a perfect encapsulation of why this duo is so terrifying for opposing defenses. They didn’t just coexist; they amplified one another.
James, continuing to defy Father Time, poured in 30 points with the kind of efficiency that has defined his tenure in purple and gold. Every time New Orleans threatened to seize momentum, James had an answer—a bullying drive to the rim or a timely jumper that silenced the home crowd.
Then there was Doncic. Matching James with 30 points of his own and adding 10 assists, the Slovenian maestro was the calm amidst the storm. His performance was punctuated by a pair of off-balance, bail-out three-pointers as the shot clock expired—daggers that seemed to drain the energy right out of the Pelicans’ defense. When you defend perfectly for 23 seconds only to watch Doncic fade away and bury a triple from deep, it does something to your psyche. It reminds you that sometimes, good defense simply doesn’t matter against great offense.
The Fourth Quarter Run That Changed Everything
For three quarters, the Pelicans looked poised to pull off the upset. They led by as many as nine points late in the third, fueled by a raucous home crowd desperate for a win. But championship-level teams know that the game truly begins in the final twelve minutes.
The Lakers opened the fourth quarter with a blistering 18-4 run that completely flipped the script. James connected on two deep three-pointers that stretched the floor, while Dalton Knecht added a triple of his own, capitalizing on the gravity the stars created. Suddenly, a deficit had turned into a 97-90 lead, and the Pelicans were left scrambling to recover.
This sequence highlighted the Lakers’ ability to flip the switch defensively as well. During that run, they clamped down on the perimeter, forcing New Orleans into difficult shots and turning long rebounds into transition opportunities. It was a clinic in closing out a game on the road.
Trey Murphy’s Career Night Goes to Waste
If there is a tragedy in sports, it is the career-best performance in a losing effort. Trey Murphy III was simply spectacular for New Orleans, erupting for a career-high 42 points. He was the only reason the Pelicans stayed in the fight, torching the nets and forcing the Lakers to adjust their defensive coverages.
Murphy, who had already established himself as a premier shooter in franchise history, showed off an expanded bag of tricks, scoring from all three levels. However, he found little help. Aside from rookie Derik Queen, who scrapped his way to 10 points and 13 rebounds, the Pelicans’ supporting cast largely vanished. The team missed a staggering 30 three-pointers, shooting just 25% from beyond the arc as a group despite Murphy’s heroics. It is nearly impossible to beat a team like the Lakers when you leave that many points on the table.
DeAndre Ayton and the Battle Down Low
While the perimeter stars will grab the headlines, the work of DeAndre Ayton in the paint cannot be overlooked. In a game where the Lakers were missing key rotation pieces in Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, Ayton provided much-needed stability.
His 18 points and 11 rebounds were essential, particularly when the game slowed down and became a half-court grind. Ayton punished the Pelicans inside during the decisive fourth-quarter run, converting easy baskets created by the attention Doncic and James demanded. His presence on the glass also prevented New Orleans from getting second-chance opportunities that could have swung the momentum back in their favor.
What This Win Means for the Lakers
This victory pushes the Lakers to 23-11 on the season, cementing their status near the top of the Western Conference. Winning on the road against a desperate team—regardless of their record—is never a given in the NBA. By winning their fourth game in the last five outings, Los Angeles is showing the consistency required to make a deep postseason run.
For the Pelicans, the misery continues. An eight-game losing streak is a heavy burden, and wasting a 42-point masterpiece from Murphy only adds salt to the wound. But for the Lakers, Tuesday night was simply business as usual: weather the storm, trust your stars, and deliver the knockout punch when it counts.
