NEW ORLEANS – Austin Reaves scored 31 goals, Luka Doncic had 24 points and 12 assists, and Los Angeles Lakers won 118-104 over New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA Cup game on Friday night.
DeAndre Ayton made 10 of 11 shots and finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds, two steals and a block for the Lakers, who improved to 2-0 in bowl play and remained atop West Group B.
Trey Murphy III scored 35 points for the Pelicans, who lost their fourth straight game to fall to 0-2 in the season tournament and fall to a Western Conference-worst 2-10 overall.
Rui Hachimura scored 14 points and Marcus Smart had 13 for the Lakers, who led 65-52 at halftime after Doncic fed Ayton for a dunk in the lane.
Doncic, Ayton and Reaves scored in an 11-0 third-quarter run that extended Los Angeles' lead to 88-66, a surge capped by Reaves' 16-foot floater when he was fouled by Jose Alvarado.
The Pelicans briefly cut the Lakers' lead to eight when Alvarado and Saddiq Bey hit back-to-back threes to make it 96-88 with more than eight minutes left.
Doncic converted a fade from 12 feet and Reaves, who made 11 of 13 free throws, hit five late foul shots and also a 13-foot pull-up to help Los Angeles hold off New Orleans.
Murphy scored 34 points for the second time in four games for New Orleans. Jeremiah Fiers had 19 points and eight steals, Herb Jones scored 13, Bay scored 11 and Derick Queen grabbed 10 rebounds.
Both teams played without their biggest stars. The Lakers' LeBron James is still recovering from a preseason bout with sciatica, while the Pelicans' Zion Williamson remains sidelined with a recent left hamstring strain.
Lakers: Visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.
Pelicans: Host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
