The Lakers got back in the win column on Friday night, beating the Pelicans 124-108.

Austin Reaves had a big game. He ended the night with 30 points, three rebounds, and seven assists. Reaves also converted on six 3-pointers in the win.

LeBron James had 27 points and eight assists and Luka Dončić feasted from the free throw line, going 11-11 from the charity stripe. He scored a team-high 35 points.

Dalton Knecht played for 20 minutes and took advantage, scoring 12 points, helping the Lakers end this homestand on a high note.

LeBron started the scoring for Los Angeles with a 3-pointer, and after a downtown basket by Reaves, the Lakers were up 8-2.

The Pelicans got a Jose Alvarado layup, and after a pair of Kelly Olynyk free throws, the Pelicans were within three points of the Lakers.

There was an injury scare with LeBron as he jammed his finger on the rim attempting to block a shot midway through the first, but he got it taped up and he played the rest of the way.

Alvarado went absolutely nuclear to help the Pelicans gain control of this game. He scored 18 points in the opening quarter alone.

Luckily for Los Angeles, Knecht, a player who has been relegated to the bench, got some minutes in this game and started cooking. Knecht scored eight points, including two 3-pointers, in the opening period, but the Lakers still trailed the Pelicans 30-25 after one.

Reaves joined Knecht in the offensive production, scoring four quick points in the second quarter to get the Lakers back within two points.

Luka struggled in L.A.’s loss against the Warriors, and his offensive challenges rolled over into this contest. He began the game going 0-6 from the field.

Luka finally made a basket at the 7:51 mark of the second quarter, and after a Bron bucket, the Lakers had regained the lead.

Los Angeles kept piling on, and after a Gabe Vincent 3-pointer with under two minutes left in the half, the Lakers were leading by double figures. Reaves split a pair of free throws and L.A. was up 62-53 at the halfway point.

The Lakers’ shooting from deep stayed hot to start the third. Reaves and Dončić converted from deep, but Alvarado and the Pelicans matched the Lakers point for point. The quarter ended even at 31-31, giving Los Angeles a nine-point lead entering the final frame.

In the fourth, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl started the scoring for New Orleans with a pair of free throws. LeBron responded with a dunk and after a pair from the charity stripe himself, L.A. was back up by double figures.

Both players ran it back with Robinson-Earl making a three and LeBron hitting one of his vintage turnaround jumpers. Reaves made another 3-pointer and the Lakers were rolling.

Midway through the quarter, Luka had a nice no-look pass to Jaxson Hayes, which he slammed and then Reaves connected with Bron on a lob to make it a 114-99 edge for Los Angeles, effectively ending the game.

The Pelicans never made a run after the LeBron slam, and the Lakers emptied out the bench with two minutes left to play.

Key Takeaways

With the Lakers winning and the Warriors beating the Nuggets, Los Angeles is back as the third seed in the West. All things considered, that’s a great place to be in the standings with five games left in the season.

The Lakers play the Thunder next on Sunday as they begin a three-game road trip. Then, they’ll return home for a matchup against the Rockets. If they can keep on stacking wins, they’ll be one of the higher seeds in the West.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.