Doncic shares what has fueled the team's success in tight games following their 128-121 victory over Memphis.
The Los Angeles Lakers entered 2026 looking to turn things around after dropping four of their last five games to close out the year, and they did just that with a 128-121 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena.
The win improved the Lakers to 21-11 on the season while Memphis fell to 15-19 following their third straight loss.
It was a back-and-forth affair that saw the Lakers blow a 15-point lead in the second quarter after the Grizzlies went on an 18-0 run, but Los Angeles found a way to close it out behind strong performances from their star duo of Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
Doncic Highlights Team Depth as Key to Success
After the game, Doncic was asked about the Lakers' success in close games this season, and he pointed to the contributions from the entire roster rather than just himself and James.
"I think we have a lot of people that can close the game," Doncic said. "Especially me and Bron, he took over today. Vando hit a big shot, Jake hit a big shot, Jaxson had a big dunk. So it's just everybody contributing, and that's winning."
The Lakers are now a perfect 11-0 in clutch games this season, which makes them the only team in the league that hasn't lost a game featuring clutch minutes.
When the Grizzlies took a 110-109 lead with six minutes remaining, the Lakers responded with a 12-2 run to put the game away, with Doncic scoring four points and assisting on two three-pointers during that stretch while James finished things off with a layup.
Doncic and James Continue to Dominate Together
Doncic finished the night with 34 points on 8-of-18 shooting and knocked down 17 of his 20 free throw attempts while adding eight assists and six rebounds.
James was equally impressive with 31 points on 12-of-18 from the field along with nine rebounds and six assists, marking the first time since March 2025 that both stars scored at least 30 points in the same game.
On the season, Doncic is averaging 33.7 points, 8.6 assists, and 8.3 rebounds per game, which keeps him among the league leaders in all three categories.
Jake LaRavia also played a huge role against his former team with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and nine rebounds, while Marcus Smart added 13 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
Looking Ahead
The Lakers will host the Grizzlies again on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in the second game of a back-to-back series.
With Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura both dealing with calf injuries, Los Angeles will continue to need contributions from everyone on the roster if they want to keep their clutch winning streak alive.
Based on what Doncic said after Friday's win, that committee approach is exactly what's been working for them all season long.