Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves carry LeBron-less Lakers past Knicks

The Lakers have struggled against the NBA’s elite teams this season, which has been a source of consternation for the team.

The opportunity to start shaping another narrative presented itself on Sunday against one of the league’s best teams, the New York Knicks.

And the Lakers found some redemption, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves leading them to a 110-97 victory at Crypto.com Arena.

“There was one key and it was multiple efforts,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And I thought we did that throughout the game, not just in spurts.”

Doncic had 35 points and eight rebounds. Although he was 11 of 25 from the field and five of 16 from three-point range, his three with 1:05 remaining sealed the victory for the Lakers (39-25).

Reaves had 25 points, five assists and four rebounds. He was eight of 16 from the field and three of six from three-point range.

“I was just playing basketball, the right way,” Reaves said. “I’m still improving through a few tough games, but I’m just playing the right way and having fun.”

Rui Hachimura (13 points, seven rebounds) and Luke Kennard (12 points) helped keep the Lakers from losing a 23-point lead against a New York team third in the Eastern Conference.

Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds, and Jalen Brunson totaled 24 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Knicks (41-24).

The Lakers’ lead was cut to 10 points late, but they held on to earn a much-needed victory against a Knicks team that was physical and had won four of its last five games.

“Yeah, I agree with JJ. I feel like we’re doing some really good things,” Reaves said. “We still have room for improvement, but tonight was a good step in the right direction with a win over a good team.”

The Lakers entered the game with a 4-12 record against teams with a winning percentage above .600. Many of their losses against top teams have been by double digits, but Redick isn’t too concerned with how the team has performed against top teams.

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, left, dives for a loose ball in front of New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby during the first half Sunday.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

“Again, I’m not in a position where I can worry about that,” Redick said. “I’ll leave that to you. Fans, rightfully so, should always overreact. That’s what makes fandom so great. I know when I was a kid, a Duke fan, I cried after every game they lost. I was an exaggerator. My job is not to overreact.”

This wasn’t going to be easy against a Knicks team that is one of the best in the NBA defensively. They entered Sunday ranked fifth in points allowed (110.6) and seventh in field goal percentage (45.7) and defensive rating (111.7).

When the Lakers extended their lead to 21 points in the third quarter, they did so, in part, by playing stingy defense. They held the Knicks to 24 points in the third, shooting 35% from the field and 18% from three-point range. They also held the Knicks below their season average of 117 points per game.

Doncic, Reaves and Marcus Smart also took charge, which was a positive.

“It’s a sacrifice play,” Redick said. “You have to put your body on the line and our guys have been motivated to do that all year. We’ve been really good with the charges.”

The Lakers played without LeBron James, who missed his second straight game with a bruised left elbow and arthritis in his left foot. James injured his elbow after falling on the court in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.

But Lakers center Deandre Ayton, who missed Friday’s win over the Pacers because of left knee soreness, returned.

It’s been an up-and-down season for Ayton, but Redick said he’s confident the 7-foot center can be more consistent in the future.

Ayton showed flashes of his talent against the Knicks by being more engaged. He was active on defense from the start, blocking a shot in the first quarter. He set a hard screen to open Doncic, then drove to the basket and took a lob pass from Doncic for a two-handed dunk in the first quarter.

Ayton finished with six points and eight rebounds.

“He was awesome,” Redick said. “I thought chasing the basketball, loose balls, was going to be blocked. … There were a few times where he was out of the game, the shot goes up, he goes for the rebound. I thought he played really hard.”