Doncic, Ayton and Reaves lead the Lakers past the Pelicans 118-104 to improve to 2-0 in NBA Cup play

Austin Reaves scored 31, Luka Doncic had 24 points and 12 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 118-104 triumph implicit the New Orleans Pelicans successful an NBA Cup game

NEW ORLEANS -- Austin Reaves scored 31, Luka Doncic had 24 points and 12 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 118-104 triumph implicit the New Orleans Pelicans successful an NBA Cup crippled connected Friday night.

Deandre Ayton made 10 of 11 shots and finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals and a artifact for the Lakers, who improved to 2-0 successful cupful play to stay atop West Group B.

Trey Murphy III scored 35 for the Pelicans, who mislaid their 4th consecutive game, fell to 0-2 successful the in-season tournament, and to a Western Conference-worst 2-10 overall.

Rui Hachimura scored 14 and Marcus Smart 13 for the Lakers, who led 65-52 astatine halftime aft Doncic fed Ayton for an alley-oop dunk.

Doncic, Ayton and Reaves each scored during an 11-0 3rd 4th tally that pushed Los Angeles' pb to 88-66, a surged capped by Reaves' 16-foot driving floater arsenic helium was fouled by Jose Alvarado.

The Pelicans concisely trimmed the Lakers' pb to 8 erstwhile Alvarado and Saddiq Bey deed back-to-back 3s to marque it 96-88 with much than 8 minutes left.

Doncic deed a 12-foot slice and Reaves, who was 11 of 13 connected escaped throws, deed 5 precocious foul shots — on with a 13-foot pullup — to assistance Los Angeles support New Orleans astatine bay.

Murphy surpassed 34 points for the 2nd clip successful 4 games for New Orleans. Jeremiah Fears had 19 points and 8 steals, and Herb Jones scored 13, Bey scored 11 and Derik Queen grabbed 10 rebounds.

Both teams played without their biggest stars. The Lakers' LeBron James is inactive moving his mode backmost from a preseason bout with sciatica and the Pelicans' Zion Williamson remained sidelined by a caller near hamstring strain.

Lakers: Visit the Milwaukee Bucks connected Saturday.

Pelicans: Host the Golden State Warriors connected Sunday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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