Lakers win ugly in first game back home from road trip

LOS ANGELES — The energy of the Lakers’ six-game road trip carried over in their return home.

Before Los Angeles’ matchup against the Nets, coach JJ Redick said that the feeling of the first game back from a long road trip could feel like an extension of it.

And it was for the Lakers, beating the Nets late in the fourth in an ugly 116-99 win over Brooklyn on Friday for their eighth straight victory at Crypto.com Arena.

Luka Dončić poured in another big scoring night, finishing with 41 points (eight rebounds) on 15 of 25 shooting, while Austin Reaves had 26 points in 40 minutes.

“Obviously we didn’t play well for three quarters," Dončić said on the energy.

James was the Lakers’ third leading scorer with 14 points in 37 minutes while adding six rebounds and eight assists.

WHERE THEY STAND

The Lakers improved to 48-26 and still sit in the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference.

With their win over Brooklyn, L.A. has now won 14 of its last 15 games, improving to 24-12 at home and 26-3 against teams with losing records.

THE GAME-CHANGER

After a strong 11-2 third-quarter start and then a buzzer-beating 3-pointer ending it by the Nets, Brooklyn made it just a one-point game going into the fourth behind intense physicality. 

Then, as the Nets pulled a majority of their starters as the fourth quarter went on in their effort to tank, the Lakers slowly pulled away. beating them 31-15 in the quarter.

Austin Reaves’ back-to-back 3s at the top of the quarter opened the gates for the Lakers. Reaves would knock down four 3s and score 16 points in the quarter while finishing with a game-high +26 plus/minus.

THE GAMEBREAKER:

Dončić had another 40-point game, his now 15th time this season he’s notched that threshold, which leads the entire NBA.

“Just playing my game. Trying to get downhill. Sometimes the 3s going, sometimes not. I was trying to touch the paint and make plays and see what the defense gives me."

He has scored 30 or more points in the 12 games, contests in which the Lakers are 11-1.

IMPORTANT STAT TO KNOW

Dončić is facing another one-game suspension after picking up his 16th technical in the fourth quarter after he and Zaire Williams both received a double technical.

“I’m sure we will appeal it. I didn’t see what happened,” Redick said on the technical.

The Lakers will appeal the technical, but if it is not approved by the NBA, he will miss their next game, which is against the Wizards on Monday in the first game of a back-to-back.

NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE

The Lakers continue their three-game homestand and will have the next two days off for the first time before the All-Star break. 

They see the Wizards on Monday and then the Cavs on Tuesday.