Imago
Feb 10, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) looks on from the court against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Imago
Feb 10, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) looks on from the court against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Lakers rolled into Charlotte with a jolt of star power that Hornets fans had been craving. Austin Reaves, fully cleared and back in the mix, slotted seamlessly alongside Luka Doncic as the team edges closer to LeBron James’ anticipated return. Doncic, ever the showman, toyed with a few deep heaves after the whistle- pure flair, no points- but once the game tipped, the duo flipped the switch.
Reaves and Doncic orchestrated a crisp, high-octane attack, piling up points with ease and steering the Lakers to a commanding 121-111 road victory.
The win washed away the sting of their recent stumble against Atlanta, pushing L.A. to an impressive 8-3 mark without LeBron in the lineup. Charlotte, meanwhile, slipped to 3-7, still searching for answers.
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Los Angeles Lakers vs Charlotte Hornets player stats
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| PLAYER | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- |
| STARTERS | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rui Hachimura#28 | 36 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +13 |
| Deandre Ayton#5 | 33 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +2 |
| Marcus Smart#36 | 37 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +15 |
| Luka Doncic#77 | 38 | 38 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | +16 |
| Austin Reaves#15 | 29 | 24 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | +18 |
| BENCH | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Jarred Vanderbilt#2 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Jake LaRavia#12 | 25 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -9 |
| Dalton Knecht#4 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -9 |
| Jaxson Hayes#11 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +4 |
| Maxi Kleber#14 | DNP | ||||||||
| Adou Thiero#1 | DNP | ||||||||
| Bronny James#9 | DNP | ||||||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 121 | 36 | 25 | 12 | 2 | 11 | 22 |
Charlotte Hornets
| PLAYER | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- |
| STARTERS | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Miles Bridges#0 | 40 | 34 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -15 |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner#11 | 19 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | -10 |
| Collin Sexton#8 | 26 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | -16 |
| Sion James#4 | 25 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -15 |
| Kon Knueppel#7 | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | -4 |
| BENCH | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Moussa Diabate#14 | 29 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Pat Connaughton#21 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +5 |
| Tre Mann#23 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +3 |
| KJ Simpson#25 | 20 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +4 |
| Liam McNeeley#33 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -2 |
| Mason Plumlee#22 | DNP | ||||||||
| Antonio Reeves#12 | DNP | ||||||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 111 | 36 | 28 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 23 |
Lakers vs Hornets: Game summary and key moments
The game was a significant mismatch – one team that’s contending for a title this season, while the other just trying to remain competitive so far. However, it didn’t diminish the standout moments of the match. Marcus Smart’s seven steals tied the most by a Laker in 29 years. He also contributed 13 points, 6 assists, and four rebounds, making a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year.
Luka Doncic makes a shot way beyond half-court, looks at Austin Reaves and talks trash to him lmao pic.twitter.com/dqvXrAqjET
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) November 11, 2025
What started as a high-octane shootout, fueled by Charlotte’s blistering start and the electric return of Austin Reaves, morphed into a masterclass in second-half dominance for LA, where Luka Doncic’s wizardry and Rui Hachimura’s timely explosion flipped the script. This wasn’t just a win; it was a statement, proving the Lakers’ road resilience amid a grueling East Coast swing.
Charlotte came out buzzing, dictating the tempo with a clinic in perimeter shooting that left the Lakers’ defense scrambling. Miles Bridges, the heartbeat of this depleted Hornets squad (without stars LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller), erupted for 16 points in the first quarter alone- going a perfect 6-of-6 from the field, including 4-of-4 from deep- to hand Charlotte a 40-36 edge after one.
Rookie sensation Kon Knueppel, flirting with a triple-double all night, added early poise with sharp playmaking, while Collin Sexton and Ryan Kalkbrenner kept the pressure on in transition.
The Hornets’ 15-of-21 shooting clip in the opening frame screamed confidence, and they even knotted it at 23-23 midway through before pushing ahead. For a team labeled as lottery-bound, this felt like the upset brewing- until LA’s adjustments kicked in.
Here’s where the Lakers’ pedigree shone through, turning a nail-biter into a rout with a jaw-dropping 31-15 third-quarter demolition. Hachimura, often the unsung hero in LA’s arsenal, torched Charlotte for 13 of his 21 points in the frame.
The fourth wasn’t without its Hornets heartbeats- Bridges (finishing with a scorching 34 on seven threes) and Knueppel (19 points, 10 boards, nine dimes) rallied to cut it to eight with 4:30 left, flashing the fight that nearly forced overtime. But Luka answered with a ruthless three-point play on a baseline drive, and Smart buried a dagger triple to push it to 14, icing the game at 121-111.
Fans are prematurely, but rightfully, confident about the Lakers meeting the reigning champs OKC on Wednesday. The same day, the Hornets have another tough matchup on their hands with the Bucks.
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