Deandre Ayton praised the Lakers’ teamwork following their 127-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. “It’s a lot of togetherness, communication. You know, we create a certain terminology out there playing in these battles where you know it’s next man up and you have your brothers back,” Ayton said.
The center contributed 18 points and nine rebounds as Los Angeles extended its winning streak to four games. “Ever since we turned up our defense a little bit more and on the effort, offense has been a lot more fun as well,” he added.
Ayton credited the team’s locker room chemistry for the strong March performance. “I miss this type of feeling. It brings a certain type of urgency out there, you know, just being around each other on and off the court is finally showing on the court and it’s contagious,” he explained.
Luka Dončić led the Lakers with 42 points and 12 assists, while Austin Reaves added 19 points. LeBron James, Jake LaRavia, and Rui Hachimura each scored 14 points as the Lakers celebrated clinching the Pacific Division title earlier in the day.
Ayton emphasized leadership’s impact on the team’s success. “Luka, AR, and Bron, they lead us to all of that,” he said, highlighting the influence of the team’s stars on both offense and defense.
Cleveland, led by Jarrett Allen’s 18 points and James Harden’s 17, fell behind early despite taking a seven-point lead late in the first quarter. Donovan Mitchell was held to 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting as the Cavaliers struggled to keep pace.
Los Angeles shot 54.2% from the floor and maintained control through the second half, leading by 15 at halftime and entering the fourth quarter with a 110-83 advantage. The win marked the Lakers’ 50th victory of the season, achieving consecutive 50-win seasons for the first time since 2007-11.
Looking ahead, the Lakers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, while Cleveland travels to Golden State for a Western Conference matchup.
