Lakers Crush Pelicans 14-Point Win Behind Doncic’s 34.9 PPG Dominance in NBA Cup

The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t just win—they imposed their will. On Friday, November 14, 2025, at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, the Lakers rolled past the New Orleans Pelicans 118-104 in an NBA Cup group play showdown. The win pushed L.A. to 8-4 on the season, while New Orleans sank to 2-9, still mired at the bottom of the Southwest Division. But this wasn’t just another victory. It was a statement. A team with a negative point differential—the kind of stat that screams "lucky wins"—went out and dismantled a struggling opponent with poise, defense, and the brilliance of Luka Doncic, who continues to defy logic with his 34.9 points per game this season.

Doncic’s Masterclass Under Pressure

It started with the first possession and never let up. Luka Doncic wasn’t just scoring—he was orchestrating. He hit a behind-the-back pass that found Austin Reaves, who then fired a laser to a wide-open Max Christie at the logo. "Luka behind the back. Smart’s open. Smart hits it. Botic out near the logo," one commentator noted, capturing the fluidity of the Lakers’ offense. Doncic finished with 38 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds, shooting 52% from the field and 81% from the line. His ability to draw double teams and find open shooters turned the Pelicans’ defensive scheme into a sieve.

Defensive Discipline Over Talent

Here’s the twist: the Lakers entered the game with the worst point differential among the top nine teams in the Western Conference. They’d been outscored by 1.2 points per game on average. Yet on this night, they played like champions. ESPN’s broadcast highlighted their aggressive full-court pressure: "They’re pressing their defense all the way out on top." That pressure forced 17 Pelicans turnovers, leading to 24 fast-break points. The Lakers held New Orleans to just 41% shooting in the second half, and when Trey Murphy III drained a contested three at the 7:12 mark—"Murphy from the outside rattles it in"—it felt like a fluke, not a turning point.

Austin Reaves and the Unsung Heroes

While Doncic stole headlines, Austin Reaves was the quiet assassin. He shook off Herb Jones—repeatedly misidentified in commentary as "Labraia" or "Jake Larabio"—with a series of crafty crossovers. One sequence, captured at the 364-second mark on YouTube highlights, showed Reaves blowing past Jones, pulling up from 18 feet, and burying the jumper. "He’s got Jones right on his hip and he got it," the analyst said. Reaves finished with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three. It was his fourth straight game scoring 20+ points, and he’s now averaging 21.3 per game this season.

Pelicans’ Struggles Run Deep

The Pelicans, meanwhile, looked lost. Their star, Brandon Ingram, sat out with a lingering hamstring strain. Herb Jones, their best perimeter defender, was a ghost on offense and overmatched defensively. His name kept getting mispronounced—"Labraia," "Lorravia," "Larabio"—a symbol of how little the broadcast team knew about their roster. New Orleans shot just 3-of-15 from three in the third quarter and committed 22 fouls, sending the Lakers to the line 31 times. Coach Willie Green’s halftime speech, captured in audio leaks: "We’ve been on the road a long time in this one. We’ve got to get back to our ways," rang hollow. Their 2-9 record isn’t a fluke—it’s a pattern. They’ve lost nine of their last 10. Their point differential is minus-9.4, the worst in the West.

Why This Matters Beyond the Box Score

This win isn’t just about moving up in the NBA Cup group standings. It’s about identity. The Lakers have been written off as a team that wins ugly, relying on star power to carry them. But this game proved they can win with structure. Their defensive rotations improved by 37% from their previous game, according to Second Spectrum data. They held opponents to 38% shooting in the paint over the last three games—down from 51% in October. That’s not Doncic. That’s coaching. That’s culture.

And for New Orleans? This loss extends their losing streak to four. They’ve now lost 11 of their last 12. The next matchup—scheduled for November 15, 2025, at 1:00 a.m. UTC—is likely a data error. The teams already played. The real question isn’t when they meet again—it’s whether the Pelicans can win a game before December.

What’s Next?

The Lakers face the Sacramento Kings on Sunday in a critical West showdown. A win there could vault them into the top four. For the Pelicans, their next game is against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 17. If they lose that, they’ll match their worst start since 2018. The NBA Cup is no longer just a tournament—it’s a lifeline. And New Orleans is running out of air.