The Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 118-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night in NBA Cup play.

But after the game, head coach JJ Redick made it clear that despite the win, there's work to be done when it comes to getting superstar guard Luka Doncic better looks on offense.

Lakers Bounce Back in New Orleans

After getting blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder just two days earlier, the Lakers (9-4) needed a strong performance against the struggling Pelicans (2-10), and they delivered.

Austin Reaves led the way with 31 points, while Doncic added 24 points and 12 assists in the winning effort. Deandre Ayton was strong inside with 20 points and 16 rebounds on 10-of-11 shooting, and Rui Hachimura chipped in 14 points.

NBA (@NBA) on X The dynamic duo of Austin Reaves & Luka Dončić did their thing vs. New Orleans tonight! ✨ Reaves: 31 PTS, 7 AST ✨ Dončić: 24 PTS, 12 AST @Lakers move to 2-0 in @emirates NBA Cup West Group B action!

The Lakers built a 65-52 halftime lead and pushed the advantage to as many as 20 points in the third quarter.

New Orleans cut the deficit to 10 points early in the fourth, but Los Angeles held firm to secure the win and improve to 2-0 in NBA Cup group play.

Redick Concerned About Getting Doncic Quality Shots

While the Lakers got the result they needed, Redick's postgame comments focused on a bigger concern: Doncic's recent offensive struggles.

Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) on X JJ Redick speaks with the media following the #Lakers 118-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in NBA Cup group play. #LakeShow

Over the last three games, the star guard has faced top-level defensive competition and hasn't found his usual rhythm.

"Last 2 games, they've had All-NBA defenders on him," Redick said after Friday's win. "We gotta do a better job at getting the ball to him in the right spots … We tried with some choice stuff and we tried with some random flash stuff and couldn't get the right execution on it."

Doncic's Numbers Tell the Story

The numbers back up Redick's concerns. Against the Hawks on November 8, Doncic scored just 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting in a blowout loss.

Two games later against the Thunder, he managed only 19 points on 7-of-20 shooting as Los Angeles fell 121-92. Friday's 24-point performance was better, but still below his season average of nearly 35 points per game.

Real Sports (@realapp) on X Luka Doncic is tied as the fastest player ever to reach 300 PTS, 75 REB, & 75 AST in a season. He ties himself from 2022.

The issue hasn't been a lack of effort or volume. Doncic is still getting his shots and creating for teammates.

But elite defenders have made things tough, and the Lakers' offensive schemes haven't always put him in position to succeed. Redick said the coaching staff needs to do better with play design and execution to free up their star player.

Looking Ahead

The Lakers will need to find solutions quickly as they continue their season. While role players like Reaves and Ayton have stepped up in recent games, the team's championship hopes rest on Doncic performing at an elite level.

Redick's comments suggest that changes and better execution are coming, which should be good news for Lakers fans.

The Laker Files (@LakerFiles) on X JJ Redick says he expects everyone who was available to play tonight will be available to play tomorrow. Adou Thiero is also expected to make his NBA debut tomorrow 🔥

For now, though, Los Angeles will take the win over New Orleans and prepare for their next challenge.

The victory keeps them in strong position in the Western Conference standings and NBA Cup group play, but the real test will be whether they can unlock Doncic's full offensive potential moving forward.