Luka Doncic dazzled with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers rolled past the Miami Heat 130-120 on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena, extending their winning streak to three under new coach JJ Redick.
The Lakers never trailed, bursting out to an 8-0 start and leading by as many as 18 before halftime. Austin Reaves added 26 points and a career-high 11 assists, orchestrating the offense alongside Doncic in a dominant performance that lifted L.A. to 3-2 on the young season.
Jake LaRavia came off the bench to pour in 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting, while Jaxson Hayes scored a season-best 15 on a perfect 7-of-7 night that included his first 3-pointer as a Laker.
His rim-rattling finish midway through the second quarter sent the home crowd roaring as Los Angeles’ lead ballooned to 20.
The Heat cut it to single digits in the third quarter behind rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr., who erupted for a career-high 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting.
Bam Adebayo and Pelle Larsson each added 17, but Miami’s 16 turnovers proved costly down the stretch.
When it mattered most, the Lakers responded with flair. LaRavia’s left-handed slam early in the fourth quarter, followed by an alley-oop from Reaves that made it 118-110, effectively sealed the deal.
Marcus Smart, acquired in the Doncic trade, notched his 1,000th career steal with a swipe on Terry Rozier that set up a fast-break score. “That’s Marcus being Marcus,” Redick said. “Those moments define our defensive grit.”
LeBron James remained sidelined with right-side sciatica, though team officials say he’s nearing a mid-November return.
DeAndre Ayton also sat out with back spasms, giving extended minutes to the Lakers’ young core – including Bronny James, who brought his father to his feet with a first-quarter alley-oop dunk from Reaves.
The game capped an eventful weekend for the franchise. Mark Walter, fresh off the Dodgers’ World Series title in Toronto, sat courtside a day after finalizing his $10 billion purchase of a controlling stake in the Lakers. “It’s a dream week for Los Angeles,” he said, smiling courtside.
The Lakers head to Portland on Monday, while Miami visits the Clippers to wrap up its L.A. back-to-back.
