The Los Angeles Lakers have won seven straight games, with their latest victory coming against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. Luka Doncic led the way for the Purple and Gold with a near triple-double of 40 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
LeBron James contributed 30 points on an insanely efficient 13-of-14 shooting, along with five rebounds and two assists. Deandre Ayton added 16 points, while Austin Reaves chipped in with 14 points, as L.A. came away with a 124-116 win.
It was the Lakers' second straight victory against the Rockets, who also fell to Doncic, James and company on Monday 100-92.
Following the win, NBA icon Magic Johnson couldn't hide his excitement and delight for the Lakers. JJ Redick's squad has now won 10 of its last 11 games, even beating the likes of the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks.
Johnson expressed his belief that the Lakers' dominant stretch proves they are legitimate contenders. He even went as far as to say that they are the "most exciting team to watch in the NBA."
"The Lakers are contenders in the West because of their outstanding improvement on defense," the Lakers legend stated. "It's been a total team effort, starting with man-to-man defense and their rotations and communication have been excellent. It says a lot about the great job JJ Redick is doing!"
L.A. improved to 44-25 on the season with the win, keeping it at No. 3 in the Western Conference. The team plays the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic next to close out the week.
When the Lakers suffered a three-game losing streak to end February, there were plenty of concerns and questions about their ability to perform come the playoffs. Sure enough, as Johnson stated, Doncic, James and the rest of the squad have shown they have what it takes to compete against the other top teams.
It remains to be seen if the Lakers can maintain their winning run. Regardless, it's clear they are peaking at the right time.
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