With LeBron James out to start the 2025-26 season due to a nerve injury, the majority of the playmaking and ball-handling duties for the Los Angeles Lakers are going to fall on Luka Doncic are going to fall on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. After Doncic sat out the first three preseason games, the duo got their first preseason start together on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves had 25 points each during the Lakers’ preseason game against the Suns, showing how effective the pairing can be to begin the regular season without James in the lineup. Prior to the Lakers’ final preseason game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday, head coach JJ Redick spoke about the pairing and how impactful they can be.
“They’re both just dynamic offensive players. I talk all the time about Austin’s ability to play on and off the ball, but his ability to touch the paint, draw fouls, Luka’s ability to draw two, the whole staff, their teammates, they feel really confident that those two guys have the ball,” Redick said.
“And I think last year was a great first run for those guys playing together,” Redick continued. “And I think this year will be better because there’s a level of comfort and continuity with those two.”
When the Lakers traded for Doncic ahead of last season’s trade deadline, he slotted in as the shooting guard alongside Reaves as the point guard. Doncic has always been an elite playmaker since he came into the NBA, and Reaves has steadily become one of the league’s better playmaking guards.
The Doncic and Reaves backcourt played a total of 26 regular season games together. During that stretch, Reaves averaged 21.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists, as per StatMuse. Doncic averaged 28.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.2 assists.
During the playoffs, Doncic averaged 30.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists with splits of 45.2 percent shooting from the field, 34.8 percent shooting from the three-point line and 89.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line. Reaves averaged 16.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists with splits of 41.1 percent shooting from the field, 31.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and 85.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
The Lakers will open the 2025-26 season next week on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at home against the Golden State Warriors.
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