Lakers win in OT
The Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 127–125 in overtime, with Luka Dončić knocking down the last-second winner after Austin Reaves forced OT with a rebound put-back []. LeBron James returned from a hip injury for the game, the club sits 42–25 on the season, and Deandre Ayton has quietly emerged as a legitimate X-factor for the team's interior defense and rebounding push down the stretch [] [].
Dončić finished with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in 43 minutes, adding three blocks for a full triple‑double. espn.com Austin Reaves scored 32 points on 12‑of‑21 shooting, logged a team‑high 46 minutes and contributed seven rebounds and six assists. nba.com Deandre Ayton played 27 minutes, grabbing nine rebounds and recording one block, while his season line sits at 12.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and a 66.9% field‑goal percentage. espn.com LeBron James returned for 40 minutes and posted 17 points, six rebounds and five assists after his recent hip absence. espn.com Denver’s Nikola Jokić finished with 16 rebounds and 14 assists, and Aaron Gordon led Denver scoring with 27 points in the loss. sportsdata.usatoday.com The win extended the Lakers’ streak to five straight victories and came as Denver dropped to 41–27 on the season. ocregister.com
