BREAKING — Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic Lead Lakers Past Pelicans as LeBron Nears Season Debut
NEW ORLEANS — The Los Angeles Lakers are finally catching a spark on the road trip, and it’s coming from the unlikely duo of Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic, while LeBron James inches closer to returning from injury. In a statement 118-104 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Reaves poured in 31 points with seven assists, and Doncic added 24 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds, cementing their role as the Lakers’ temporary leaders during James’ absence.
LeBron, sidelined all season with sciatica in his right side, has been ramping up his recovery in Los Angeles. Lakers coach JJ Redick confirmed James participated in an individual workout Friday after several days of five-on-five practice with the South Bay Lakers. If all goes smoothly, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer could make his season debut Tuesday against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena, opening his league-record 23rd season.
Despite James’ absence, the Lakers are adapting quickly. Reaves and Doncic have stepped into primary roles, executing offensive sets with precision and keeping the team competitive. Reaves acknowledged the improved focus in the Pelicans game: “I think we just played harder (and with) a little more attention to detail. We executed our game plan a lot better.”
Doncic’s half-court dominance helped secure the Lakers’ 2-0 record in NBA Cup games, marking the first time a Lakers duo has achieved at least 20 points and nine assists each in a half since the 1996-97 season. Inside, Deandre Ayton was a force, recording 20 points and 16 rebounds, providing the physical presence the Lakers needed to dominate the paint. Pelicans star Trey Murphy III led his team with 35 points but couldn’t prevent the Lakers’ decisive victory.
Redick addressed how James’ return might impact the team’s chemistry. “Next week will be a great week for all of us to assess where we’re at and figure out what we want to work on,” Redick said. “It’s rare that you have one game over the course of a week… so probably will think about it more then. But typically when you’re playing every other day, you’re using your time until 3 a.m. to review the game that you just played and then using the time the next day until 3 a.m. to get ready for the next game.”
Teammates are confident James’ integration won’t disrupt the current flow. Jarred Vanderbilt emphasized, “Even just the integration, trying to integrate himself as a player, as a team midseason is kind of tough. But we’re excited for his return, whenever he comes back, and I know he can provide exactly what we need for this team.”
The Lakers will look to finish their five-game road trip on a high note with a matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. After dropping games to Atlanta and Oklahoma City, Deandre Ayton stressed the importance of ending the trip strong: “The best way to do it is to finish off these two road games strong as hell and get back to L.A. and regroup. But we have unfinished business and, yeah, we’re trying to wash away those two Ls, man, with a good win tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, rookie Adou Thiero, activated after recovering from left knee surgery, could see his first action this season against the Bucks, adding another potential spark to a Lakers lineup eager to build momentum before LeBron’s anticipated return.
With Reaves and Doncic leading the charge, the Lakers are showing resilience and adaptability — a promising sign for what could be a thrilling reunion once LeBron hits the court.
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