Lakers hope comeback win over Pelicans gives the team a timely boost

A three-pointer clanked off the side of the backboard. Four players were whistled for technical fouls. Passes from the Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans sailed out of bounds.

The errors added up to an ugly game. The result, however, was beautiful for the Lakers, who notched a 110-101 comeback win over the Pelicans on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. They clawed back from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win their third consecutive game, showing the kind of resolve coach JJ Redick said he hasn’t seen since November when the Lakers started 15-4.

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“Nights like this can change the trajectory for teams and players,” guard Marcus Smart said. “So hopefully this win and tonight, in the way, the fashion that we won it, kicks our confidence up.”

Here are three takeaways from the game:

Marcus Smart gives Lakers life

Lakers guard Marcus Smart passes the ball under pressure from Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

With calm feet and fast hands, Smart reached in to swat the ball away from a driving Trey Murphy III. The final defensive flourish from Smart put a fitting full-stop on the Lakers win as the former defensive player of the year set the tone with four steals and three blocks and hit a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter to spark the comeback.

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“He gave us life tonight,” Redick said.

The 12-year veteran was the only Laker to play every second of the fourth quarter, proving to be a vital piece of the closing rotation along with stars LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic.

Doncic led the Lakers with 27 points and 10 rebounds with seven assists, but had seven turnovers. James fueled the Lakers during the third quarter, scoring the team’s first nine points by himself and finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Reaves shook off a bad offensive night to score eight of his 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Read more: All five starters score in double figures as Lakers defeat the Pelicans

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With so many offensive superstars around him, Smart has instead “starred in his role,” Redick…

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Publish date : 2026-03-04 14:39:00

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