LOS ANGELES — With the Lakers reeling from a three-game slide, an Austin Reaves calf injury and a team meeting heading into Sunday’s game against the Sacramento Kings, LeBron James and Luka Doncic led Los Angeles to a dominant 125-101 victory to stabilize things a bit.
“I don’t want to create the narrative of [just] me and Luka,” James said. “There’s five guys on the field and seven guys coming off the bench. It must be all of us. [But] It’s important that we set the tone.”
James made his first three shots in the first three minutes of the game, somewhat foreshadowing what turned out to be his most efficient night as a Laker, according to ESPN Insights. He shot 11 of 13 from the field, with his 84.6 percent shooting percentage representing not only his best as a Laker, but also the third best of his 23-year career.
“I felt like I was in a really good rhythm tonight,” James said. “I had a good bounce, I just tried to make the most of my touches.”
Although James did most of his damage in the first period, Doncic handled most of the scoring in the second quarter, when he scored 15 of his game-high 34 points and went 5 of 7 from the field.
“I think it definitely starts with us,” Doncic said. “And when AR comes back, it will be the three of us. But now it starts with us. We have to show what we can do and if we want to do it, the two of us will do it. The group will follow.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick said it was a postponement of Saturday’s practice for both.
“I’m not surprised how those two guys played together tonight because yesterday was one of the best practices we’ve had with the two of them playing together and just sharing the basketball and playing two-on-one,” Redick said.
LA led 68-53 at halftime and nearly doubled that lead in the first 3½ minutes of the third quarter when it used a 13-2 score at the break to gain the upper hand on defense.
“There were a few possessions in that 13-2 run where we started with a five-goal mentality, and that’s really what we’re looking for,” Redick said. “We just want five guys engaged at all times, on every possession. That’s kind of the North Star of how we try to build a good defense.”
After Thursday’s dispirited 119-96 loss to the Houston Rockets — an embarrassing effort on the NBA’s Christmas Day stage — the team was informed Friday that Reaves would be out at least four weeks while he recovers from a left calf strain.
Then came Saturday’s team meeting and a rare, lengthy practice that Redick said would be “uncomfortable” but turned into what the coach described as an exchange of ideas between coaches and players to find clarity. And after that, there was an even rarer early morning shooting on Sunday – something that almost never happens with a 6:30 p.m. PT news morning.
In their first chance to succeed, the Lakers responded with an up-and-down effort.
Deandre Ayton had a double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds). Rui Hachimura scored 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting after making just six or fewer shots in three of his previous four games. Jake LaRavia contributed 11 points, 4 assists and 2 steals off the bench.
And Nick Smith Jr., who signed a two-way contract, shot 7 of 7 to start the game, scored 21 points in 24 minutes and was then handed the ball by the team.
“In this league you have to have confidence. If you don’t, they’ll go out there and see it right away,” Smith said. “I feel like I can play with the best of them.”
In another sign of the all-out effort, for the first time this season, the Lakers won all four quarters.
“We got together and talked about some things,” LaRavia said. “And if we play like that every night, that’s what I’m talking about when we say we’re a tough team to beat.”
Sunday also marked James’ final game before his 41st birthday on Tuesday, capping a remarkable year of basketball at age 40. In 56 regular season games between the end of last season and the start of this one, James averaged 23.9 points on 52% shooting with 7.4 assists and 7.1 rebounds.
“[Remember] when I did the Father Time commercial [for Nike]” said James. “I’m in a battle with him. And I’d like to say I’m kicking his ass on the back nine.”
