Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves Lead Lakers Past Knicks Without LeBron James

The Lakers delivered one of their best performances of the season by dominating the Knicks 110-97 at Crypto.com Arena, despite the absence of LeBron James for the second consecutive game. The forward was out due to a left elbow contusion and left foot arthritis, leaving Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves to carry the offense.

Dončić scored 35 points with 8 rebounds and 4 assists, hitting 5 three-pointers including an incredible one-legged basket while falling.

Austin Reaves Returns to All-Star Form

Austin Reaves finally returned to his early-season form with 25 points on 50% shooting, including 3 makes on 6 three-point attempts. The guard had been limited since returning from a left calf injury that sidelined him for 19 games in January. « Playing with him makes my life easy, » Dončić said about Reaves after the game.

« The message for him was simply to be himself, » explained coach JJ Redick. « We want him to be aggressive. Every time he touches the ball, we want him to be aggressive and have the mindset to penetrate into the paint. »

This victory represents a turning point for the Lakers (39-25), who had won only 4 of their previous 12 games against teams above .600. The Knicks (41-24) were on a 16-6 run before this loss.

Solid Defense Against Struggling Knicks

The Lakers’ defense excelled by limiting the Knicks to 42.2% shooting and just 23.5% from three-point range (8/34). Mikal Bridges had an offensive nightmare with 0 points in 27 minutes, attempting only 6 shots. « That’s a recipe to get your butt kicked, » commented Knicks coach Mike Brown after the game. « Especially on the road. »

Karl-Anthony Towns (25 points, 16 rebounds) and Jalen Brunson (24 points) tried to keep New York in the game, but the 18 turnovers and 30 free throws awarded to the Lakers sealed the outcome. Marcus Smart finished with a +27 rating despite shooting 1/10, illustrating his defensive impact.

This convincing Lakers performance without their superstar is reassuring regarding the team’s ability to compete with the league’s best franchises when Reaves plays at his optimal level.