LOS ANGELES — Two other times this season, the Lakers won six games in a row but had their winning streak end there.
The third time was the charm on Tuesday night, as the Lakers rode their dynamic duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic to a 136-115 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans for their longest winning streak of this season and the past four years.
James finished with 34 points and became the first player to score 50,000 combined points in the regular season and playoffs, and Doncic had 30 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds for the Lakers, who have won 17 of 20 games to move into second place in the Western Conference at 39-21.
The Lakers again played without two of their top four scorers in Austin Reaves (strained right calf) and Rui Hachimura (left patellar tendinopathy), but James and Doncic carried the offensive load.
Already the league’s all-time leading scorer, James eclipsed the 50,000-point threshold with a 3-pointer at the 8:34 mark of the first quarter. He finished 10 for 18 from the field (5 for 10 from 3-point range) to go with eight rebounds, six assists and a pair of blocked shots.
Doncic shot 9 for 19 overall (6 for 13 from behind the arc) and scored 17 of his points during the first quarter, making 3-pointers on three straight possessions and briefly skipping after each one.
Zion Williamson had 37 points on 17-for-23 shooting, six assists and four rebounds to pace the Pelicans (17-45), who sent double-teams and help toward Doncic more frequently after his explosive first quarter.
Jaxson Hayes benefitted from the Pelicans’ defensive strategy, finishing with a season-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. He scored 15 points in the second quarter, helping the Lakers take a 69-59 lead by halftime.
The Lakers attempted a season-high 52 3-point shots, knocking down 19 of them (36.5%).
Thirty-one of their first 42 field goal attempts were from behind the arc.
The Lakers finished with 43 bench points, which was aided by both teams removing their main rotation players with more than four minutes left and the Lakers leading 125-102.
Dalton Knecht scored 13 points, while Jarred Vanderbilt and Shake Milton each scored 12.
Bronny James played the final 4:01, scoring two points in his first NBA action since Feb. 12.
The Lakers close their six-game homestand on Thursday night against the New York Knicks.
More to come on this story.