There have been good weeks and bad weeks for the Lakers this season.
Ahead of Friday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, they were trending downward after losing four of their last five games.
The Memphis game turned into a microcosm of that trend, with the Lakers building leads through effort and intensity only to see them crumble behind less-inspired play.
In the end, standout performances from Luka Doncic and LeBron James helped the Lakers surge late and hold on for a 128-121 win over the Grizzlies.
Doncic and James made sure the 15-point lead the Lakers held before it dissolved by the end of the third quarter wasn’t completely achieved in vain.