Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have been tremendous for the Los Angeles Lakers this season.
The two perimeter-oriented superstars have done their part to help the Lakers make an early-season statement in the vaunted Western Conference.
Doncic, one of the best offensive manipulators in the game, is making a strong MVP case with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The former Dallas Mavericks superstar is averaging 35.2 points, 9.2 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game.
Reaves is making it known that he deserves his first All-Star nod this season.
Reaves, who’s transformed into one of the most effective isolation scorers thanks to his reliable counter moves and willingness to absorb contact while keeping his eyes on the rim, is contributing 27.9 points and 7.0 assists in 14 outings.
Following the dynamic duo’s stellar play against the Mavericks on Friday night (Doncic- 35 points, Reaves-38 points), it was revealed that Lakers history had just been made.
“Luka & Reaves are the first Laker guard duo to each record 35+ points on 75%+ true shooting in a game,” Real Sports revealed on X/Twitter.
The Lakers are near unstoppable when both Doncic and Reaves are in a rhythm offensively. Confidence is key for high-usage contributors, so when the underrated tandem witnesses the ball travel down the net early, they feel as though they’re on top of the world, causing problems for opponents nightly.
While it’s reasonable to assume standout forward LeBron James will have nights where he explodes for 30+ points, there’s a good chance that the Doncic and Reaves show will be the featured program going forward.
More NBA: Lakers' Luka Doncic keeps key streak alive in revenge win vs. Mavericks