NBA: Lakers ride fourth-quarter surge to comeback win over Pelicans

Luka Doncic scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while LeBron James added 21 points as the Los Angeles Lakers extended their winning streak to three games with a 110-101 victory over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.

Austin Reaves chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds, and Deandre Ayton contributed 13 points and eight boards, helping the Lakers secure the win despite committing 22 turnovers. Los Angeles improved to 4-2 this season when giving the ball away at least 22 times.

The Lakers turned a 22-4 fourth-quarter scoring run into a decisive victory.

For the Pelicans, Zion Williamson led the way with 24 points, while Trey Murphy III added 21, as New Orleans dropped consecutive games in the Los Angeles area following a loss to the Clippers on Sunday. The Pelicans went 0-4 against the Lakers this season.

Saddiq Bey scored 18 points and Dejounte Murray added 15 for New Orleans, which fell to 2-2 on a six-game road trip. Murray was appearing in his fourth game of the season after returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The Pelicans held a 78-76 lead entering the fourth quarter and built a 94-86 advantage with 7:20 left after a three-point play by Williamson. The Lakers answered with a 14-0 run, including two 3-pointers from Reaves, to take a 100-94 lead with 3:13 remaining following a steal and assist from Marcus Smart.

New Orleans briefly closed the gap to 100-98 with baskets from Williamson, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Smart and Doncic pushed the Lakers’ lead to 108-98 with one minute left.

The Pelicans scored 33 points in the first quarter but were limited to 18 in the second, trailing 54-51 at halftime. James and Doncic each had 16 points for the Lakers in the first half, while Murphy scored 11 for New Orleans.

New Orleans finished with 29 assists on 38 made field goals, after recording 18 assists on 20 field goals before halftime.

—Field Level Media/Reuters