Backcourt tandem Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić both contributed 30 points en route to the victory
Seven in a row.
Powered by two 30-point performances courtesy of backcourt tandem Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 133-121 on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The victory marked the Lake Show’s No. 15 win of the season, putting them second in the Western Conference of the NBA. The Lakers have not lost since falling 121-92 to the defending NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 12.
Dončić’s Sunday night performance marked his sixth straight 30-plus point performance, adding to his 2025-2026 statline of 35.1 points per game. In the victory over the Pelicans, Dončić added 12 rebounds and seven assists with just two turnovers.
Joining Dončić in the 30-point club, Reaves has garnered his third consecutive 30-plus point game, culminating in his 28.8 points per game for the season. Reaves added five rebounds and eight assists at Crypo.com Arena but struggled with mistakes, tallying five turnovers.
Center Deandre Ayton continues to prove to be the center the Lakers needed when they added the former No. 1 overall draft pick in the offseason. Ayton dropped a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds on 7-for-9 shooting against the Pelicans.
He also added four blocks to his double-double night, illustrating his defensive prowess – an area of concern for the former Phoenix Sun when he came to the Lake Show squad.
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Four-time NBA champion LeBron James missed the game with a left foot injury as the team took a precautionary approach, taking into consideration the back-to-back games the Lakers were on and the sciatica that kept James out for the first 14 games of the season.
In his absence, guard Gabe Vincent filled his starting lineup vacancy and added just six points on 2-for-5 shooting from the field through 25 minutes of game action.
Off the bench, forward Jake LaRavia continues to be the Lakers’ most utilized non-starter. LaRavia – who the Lakers added from the Sacramento Kings this offseason – is averaging 9.4 points and four rebounds per game on a 46.8% field goal percentage and a career high 26.2 minutes per game.
Despite LaRavia averaging his highest point total since the 2023-2024 season, he struggled with efficiency against the Pelicans, dropping 10 points on 4-for-14 shooting from the field.
After garnering its seventh straight victory, the Lakers will next face the Phoenix Suns in its fourth consecutive home game.
The Lakers will then embark on two three-game road trips in December, with the first stretch starting Thursday against the Toronto Raptors, who rank third in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Despite sitting at 11 games above .500, the Lakers still sit four games out of first place as the Thunder lead the Western Conference and the NBA with a 20-1 record, handing the Lakers one of their four defeats and last falling on Nov. 5.
Tip-off against the Suns commences at 7 p.m. in Los Angeles.