Player Grades: Lakers vs. Pelicans

Grading every Lakers player’s performance from the team’s 124-108 win over the Pelicans.

Friday’s game between the Lakers and Pelicans wasn’t pretty, but Los Angeles got the win they desperately needed.

New Orleans got a good game from Jose Alvarado, who ended the night with 27 points, but it wasn’t enough. The Lakers' stars overwhelmed the Pelicans in the second quarter and closed them out in the fourth.

Now, Los Angeles is back as the third seed in the West with five games left.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

Dorian Finney-Smith

32 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2-4 FG, 1-3 3PT, +3

With Rui Hachimura out, you probably expected more from DFS. He wasn’t bad in this game, but didn’t really stand out either. He took a few shots, made a 3-pointer and called it a night.

Grade: B-

LeBron James

33 minutes, 27 points, 8 assists, 2 steals, 9-17 FG, 2-7 3PT, 7-8 FT, +7

Shockingly, LeBron failed to grab a rebound at all in this game. However, the bigger news is that he’s getting his offensive groove back. Late in Thursday’s game against the Warriors, he scored in bunches and in this one, he had 27 points.

LeBron even had a lob dunk thanks to a gorgeous Austin Reaves pass, which all but ended the game midway through the final period.

If LeBron’s offense is here to stay, the Lakers will maximize their potential this postseason.

Grade: B-

Jaxson Hayes

24 minutes, 6 points, 12 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 3-4 FG, +8

Hayes’ minutes took a dip over the last three games, but on Friday, he was back up to 24 and played well. He dominated the glass with a game-high 12 rebounds, and while he was in foul trouble, it didn’t impact the result.

It was a run-of-the-mill game for Hayes, but an improvement from his other performances this week.

Grade: B-

Austin Reaves

36 minutes, 30 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 8-13 FG, 6-9 3 PT, 8-9 FT, +17

When Reaves is behind-the-back-dribbling and his 3-pointer is wet, he is the most electrifying man in the NBA. Lakers fans saw all that and more in this game as Reaves led the team to glory.

There isn’t much Reaves could’ve done better in this game, and thanks to his six threes, he has now surpassed Nick Van Exel as the Laker with the second-most 3-pointers during a single season.

Next year, with an entire season of Reaves benefiting from Luka Dončić’s gravity, he will likely surpass his friend D’Angelo Russell as the team’s single-season 3-point king.

Grade: A+

Luka Dončić

36 minutes, 35 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 10-21 FG, 4-10 3PT, 11-11 FT, +12

Luka started the game ice cold, missing his first seven field goal attempts. However, he got to the line, went a perfect 11-11 and found a rhythm from deep, making four 3-pointers.

After saying his performance against the Warriors was ‘unacceptable,’ this play doesn’t absolve him, but it’s a good start.

Grade: B+

Jordan Goodwin

18 minutes, 2 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1-4 FG, 0-3 3PT, +7

Goodwin had a very bad alley-oop pass to LeBron, but minus that error, he was solid on Friday night. His offensive bag might be limited, but Goodwin plays great defense, makes the right play more often than not and was really good on the boards in this win.

Grade: B

Gabe Vincent

19 minutes, 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2-4 FG, 1-3 3PT, +6

This was an average game from Vincent. He didn’t wow, but also didn’t make big mistakes. You’ll want more from Vincent in the playoffs, but you’ll live with this performance in a win.

Grade: C+

Jarred Vanderbilt

17 minutes, 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1-2 FG, +11

Vando has been fine, but his impact hasn’t been as good this season compared to years prior. He defended well during his few shifts against the Pelicans. His biggest impact on this team will be defensively and on the boards, so hopefully, that will continue to improve so he can stay in the rotation during the postseason.

Grade: C+

Dalton Knecht

20 minutes, 12 points, 1 rebound, 5-10 FG, 2-6 3PT, +12

In Redick’s desperation to find offense for the Lakers, he turned to Knecht. And the rookie delivered, scoring 12 points and shooting 50% from the field. Given his lack of experience and propensity to make head-scratching errors, it’s hard to pencil him into the rotation, but he made a compelling case on Friday.

So, don’t be surprised if Knecht comes into a playoff game and gets hot, helping the Lakers win a game à la Lonnie Walker IV a few years ago.

Grade: A-

Trey Jemison III, Shake Milton

Jemison and Milton had short shifts, so they will not receive grades for their time on the court against the Pelicans.

JJ Redick

Redick gambled by giving Knecht minutes in the first quarter, and it worked. It’s hard to be mad at his decisions on Friday. With the team earning the win, the coach did what needed to be done to get the result.

Grade: B

Friday’s DNPs: Alex Len, Markieff Morris

Friday’s inactives: Maxi Kleber, Rui Hachimura, Bronny James, Christian Koloko

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.