Pelicans are defeated 139-122 by the Lakers, who amass 87 points in a remarkable first half.

Friday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Los Angeles Lakers rode a remarkable 87-point first half to a 139-122 victory, with D’Angelo Russell contributing 30 points and Austin Reaves contributing 27. Rui Hachimura scored 16 of his 21 points and LeBron James recorded 14 assists in the first half as the Lakers displayed an 𝔬𝔣fensive masterclass en route to their fourth victory in five contests. On the second night of a back-to-back set, Los Angeles dominated with an additional 20 points from Anthony Davis, soaring ahead 51 points in the second quarter and maintaining the lead throughout the second half. “That merely demonstrates our 𝔬𝔣fensive prowess as a unit,” Reaves stated. “It simply comes down to playing the game properly. Everyone is able to settle into it and obtain a greater feel and rhythm when we do so.” Russell’s return from a one-game absence due to injury was pivotal, as he contributed five assists and six three-pointers as the Lakers snapped New Orleans’ four-game winning string. The Lakers took an 87-74 halftime lead after tying a franchise record with 51 points in the second quarter. In their most prolific half of the season and the second highest-scoring first half in franchise history, the Lakers shredded New Orleans’ defense. All five starters scored at least 12 points, led by Russell’s 21 points, while Los Angeles made 11 3-pointers and 67.4% of its overall attempts. “D-Lo was in control,” stated Davis. “Rui acted in performances. When we transition, play quickly, and share the basketball while preventing stops in the paint, our offense begins to work and we can score 51 points in a quarter.” Brandon Ingram added 22 points and Zion Williamson contributed 30 points and nine rebounds for the Pelicans, who began their four-game road journey with a split of two games in downtown Los Angeles. Tonight, the Pelicans simply lacked a physical defensive presence, according to head coach Willie Green. “Although we got off to a good start in the first half, the second quarter slipped away from us.” Fifty-one points is a significant deficit to surmount when facing a team of this caliber. They attempted a few shoots, and we assisted a few of them through their lack of physicality.”

Russell returned from Thursday’s loss to Denver with another outstanding performance despite missing time due to left knee discomfort. In his previous thirteen contests, he had averaged 24.0 points per game. Despite being in ninth place in the Western Conference standings, the Lakers refrained from making a transaction at the trade deadline primarily due to Russell’s enhanced performance in recent weeks.

Despite maintaining a non-moving average of.500 throughout the season, the Lakers continue to look for assistance on the buyout market. This week, after being traded by Brooklyn and dismissed by Toronto, Spencer Dinwiddie sat next to Lakers general manager Ɽob Pelinka in the stands and observed the game. Dinwiddie, a Los Angeles native who attended Thursday’s game between Dallas and Madison Square Garden, could provide the Lakers with perimeter shooting and ball-handling if signed. In 48 starts this season, he averaged 12.6 points and 6.0 assists for the Nets.

“He is a formidable guard who creates shots,” Davis remarked. “We have witnessed what he accomplished for Brooklyn and Dallas by converting crucial passes for those teams. He is an experienced player, a veteran of this division.” Jonas Valanciunas contributed ten points and ten rebounds for the Pelicans despite missing Wednesday’s second half with a calf injury. He had missed time due to the injury. The Lakers were ₵Ø₥₱ɆⱠⱠɆĐ to adjust their rotations in the first quarter due to Davis’s third penalty, while New Orleans scored 39 points in the opening period on 16 from Ingram and 14 from Williamson.

The Lakers responded with 51 points in the second period, with Reaves and Russell each contributing 16. On Thursday, Lakers guard Max Christie was sidelined against Denver after suffering a sprained right ankle. Coach Darvin Ham added that the Lakers are anticipating the return of starting guard Cam Reddish from his sprained ankle following the All-Star break.