Locking back in on Ayton was key

After finishing Friday's game on the bench, Lakers center bounces back big on Sunday.

- BY THỤC NHI NGUYEN

ETHAN SWOPE Associated Press

LAKERS CENTER Deandre Ayton drives between the Grizzlies' Christian Koloko, left, and Javon Small.

Call it déjá vu.

For the second time in three days, the Lakers played the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.​com Arena, took a close game into the fourth quarter and pulled away late behind the scoring punch of the same three players.

Again fueled by LeBron James (26 points, 10 assists), Luka Doncic (36 points, nine rebounds, eight assists) and Jake LaRavia (26 points), the Lakers overcame a 16point first-half deficit to win 120-114 on Sunday against the Grizzlies.

After James and Doncic each scored 30 in Friday's win that also featured a 20point performance from LaRavia, the Lakers (22-11) won consecutive games for just the second time in five weeks.

Here are three takeaways from the win:

Getting the ball to their center

It wasn't an accident that the Lakers' first play went to Deandre Ayton. Or that the star big man got the first shot of the third. Or that teammates fed him for back to-back dunks to help spark a run of five consecutive scoring possessions early in the second half.

After Ayton finished last Friday's win on the bench, the 7-foot center bounced back with 15 points and eight rebounds against the Grizzlies on Sunday as the Lakers made a point to involve the big man early.