Luka Doncic scored 34 points with eight assists and LeBron James added 31 points with nine rebounds as the host Los Angeles Lakers finished off a 128-121 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.
Jake LaRavia scored 21 points against his former team and Marcus Smart added 13 with eight rebounds and seven assists as the Lakers won for just the second time in six games during their roughest stretch of the season.
Doncic made 17 free throws on 20 attempts while scoring 15 points in the third quarter alone. He made just one 3-pointer on seven attempts.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 25 points and Kentavious Caldwell Pope added 20 for the Grizzlies, who have lost three consecutive games for the first time since a five-game skid in the middle of November.
Ja Morant scored 16 points and Santi Aldama added 15 in the opener of a two-game set against the Lakers at Los Angeles, with a rematch set for Sunday. Morant added 11 rebounds as he played in four consecutive games for the first time since playing five straight from Nov. 3-11.
Doncic scored four points in a 7-0 run that gave the Lakers a 116-110 lead with 4:13 remaining. After Memphis missed three shots on a single possession, LaRavia hit a 3-pointer and James had a layup to put Los Angeles up 121-112 with 1:57 left.
The Lakers outscored the Grizzlies 32-25 in the fourth quarter while shooting 57.1% from the field in the period and 57.7% for the game, while Memphis shot 47.9% from the field.
The Lakers led by as many as 15 in the first half before the Grizzlies got back into it with a 18-0 run just before halftime to lead briefly at 58-55. Los Angeles led 66-60 at halftime behind 17 points from James, while Jock Landale had 11 for Memphis.
The Lakers were without a pair of starters in Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, who both have calf injuries. Center Zach Edey (ankle) missed his 10th consecutive game for the Grizzlies.
–Field Level Media
