LeBron James scored 30 points, while Luka Doncic delivered a 30-point, 10-assist performance capped by two off-balance bailout three-pointers as the shot clock expired, helping the Los Angeles Lakers hold off the struggling New Orleans Pelicans 111-103 on Tuesday night.
Deandre Ayton added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who earned their fourth win in the past five games and handed the Pelicans their eighth consecutive loss, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.
For New Orleans, Trey Murphy poured in a career-high 41 points, Zion Williamson finished with 15 points, and rookie Derik Queen recorded 10 points and 13 rebounds. The Pelicans led by as many as nine points late in the third quarter.
Los Angeles seized control early in the fourth with an 18-4 run that featured two deep three-pointers from James, a three by Dalton Knecht, and a pair of baskets in the paint from Ayton. The surge gave the Lakers a 97-90 advantage, and New Orleans was unable to close the gap to fewer than four points the rest of the way.
Neither team led by more than seven points until Karlo Matkovic made two free throws to put the Pelicans ahead 83-74 late in the third quarter. James responded with three free throws and a breakaway dunk to quickly cut the deficit to four. Murphy, who scored 20 points in the third quarter, then converted a driving reverse scoop while being fouled, sending New Orleans into the final period with an 86-79 lead.
Herb Jones, playing his first game after missing seven contests with a right ankle injury, struggled from the field, making just one of nine shots. The Pelicans also missed five of their 18 free throws, with Williamson accounting for four of those misses.
The Lakers shot 50.6 percent from the floor (43 of 85), while New Orleans finished at 44 percent (40 of 91) and missed 30 of 40 attempts from three-point range.
Both teams are back in action Wednesday night, with the Lakers visiting the San Antonio Spurs and the Pelicans traveling to face the Atlanta Hawks.