Lakers beat Pelicans; extend winning streak to five
The Los Angeles Lakers came away with a 104-99 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Lakers have now won five straight games and are on a roll early in the season. With that in mind, let’s dive into takeaways from tonight’s victory.
Anthony Davis’s MVP season continues
Anthony Davis continued his MVP-caliber campaign with a great performance. Davis finished with 31 points, 14 rebounds, two steals and a block.
The 31-year-old has been efficient this season, improving immensely from three over the past few seasons. Davis went 2-4 from deep on Saturday, as he’s been comfortable shooting from distance in JJ Redick’s system.
Look for Davis to continue his dominant season as the hub in Redick’s system.
LEBRON HIT THE SILENCER CELLY 🥶 pic.twitter.com/GiucbUahxZ
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) November 17, 2024
LeBron James’ fourth quarter takeover
LeBron James had a quiet game early, coming off four-straight triple double performances. However, in the fourth quarter, James took over to help the Lakers secure the win.
James scored 11 points in the fourth and hit two clutch threes in the final two minutes of the game. James finished with a line of 21 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. The 39-year-old hasn’t missed a game this season and continues to defy Father Time.
Dalton Knecht’s lights-out performance
Dalton Knecht got the starting nod with Rui Hachimura and Cam Reddish out. The rookie made the most of the opportunity, finishing with 27 points on 10-17 shooting and 5-10 from three.
Knecht fell to the Lakers with the 17th pick in the draft, and he’s made an instant impact. After setting a career-high in points against the Pelicans, Knecht should only build on this heading into next week.
The Lakers improved to 9-4 with their win over the Pelicans and will have a few days of rest. Their next matchup comes on Tuesday against the 3-8 Utah Jazz.
