The Los Angeles Lakers are rolling, and at the heart of their red-hot start is a backcourt pairing that’s taken the league by storm: Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Through 19 games, these two have formed the most explosive scoring duo in the NBA - and it’s not particularly close.
Doncic, the league’s leading scorer at 35.1 points per game, has been his usual brilliant self - a walking mismatch who can beat you with step-backs, post-ups, or pinpoint passes. But what’s really elevated the Lakers is how seamlessly Reaves has slotted in next to him.
Reaves is putting up 28.8 points per game, good for ninth in the league, and together they’re combining for a jaw-dropping 63.9 points per night. That’s over 10 points more than the next-best duo, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
That kind of production isn’t just filling up the box score - it’s fueling wins. The Lakers are 15-4, riding a seven-game win streak, and sitting second in the Western Conference.
They’re top-five in offensive rating and second in true shooting percentage, which tells you this isn’t just volume - it’s efficiency. This offense is humming.
After a 133-point outburst against the New Orleans Pelicans, Reaves took some time to reflect on what’s clicking - and what still needs work.
“Luka scored 20 in the first quarter,” Reaves said. “Made a lot of shots, made a lot of plays, and then everybody did a good job taking care of the ball - besides myself.
Five turnovers is way too many. I think three or four of them were just bad.
Just me being bad.”
That kind of accountability says a lot about the mindset in L.A.’s locker room. Even in a blowout win, Reaves isn’t sugarcoating his performance. He knows every possession matters, especially when you’re chasing something bigger than a hot start.
“If I take care of the ball, we probably have four turnovers and might have scored 145,” he added. “But the first quarter was good.
Obviously, Luka’s one of the best first-quarter players. He’s one of the best players in the league, but in the first quarter, he comes out and makes a statement.
He gets our offense rolling.”
That first-quarter spark has become a signature for Doncic, and it’s not just about getting his own. His presence warps defenses from the opening tip, and Reaves is thriving in the space that creates.
“He draws a lot of attention, and then I’m able to play advantage basketball on the backside of that,” Reaves explained. “With the gravity that he has on the court, it’s impossible to guard him any certain way because of his ability to pass the ball, his unselfishness, and his shot-making ability.
Once you blitz him, then you have advantage basketball. We like our chances.”
That’s the formula: Luka forces the defense to overcommit, and Reaves plays off that chaos. It’s not just a two-man show - it’s a ripple effect that opens up quality looks all over the floor. And even on nights when the Lakers leave points on the table, they’re still putting up 130-plus.
“I thought we got a lot of really good looks that we didn’t make tonight,” Reaves said. “We still scored 130. I still think this offense can go to another level.”
And he might be right. As good as the Lakers have looked, there’s still room to tighten things up.
Head coach JJ Redick, in his first season at the helm, has guided L.A. to a 15-4 record - a 65-win pace - but he’s not blind to the areas that need polishing. The Lakers’ offense is elite, but the defense?
Not quite there yet. They currently sit 17th in defensive rating.
Their net rating of +4.1 ranks 12th league-wide, nestled between the Celtics and Cavaliers - teams with more modest records.
Ball security has also been an issue. The Lakers rank 23rd in turnover rate and 21st in assist-to-turnover ratio. That’s the kind of stuff that can sneak up on a team in the playoffs, especially when the game slows down and every possession gets magnified.
Still, the foundation is strong. Doncic and Reaves are playing at an All-NBA level, and the supporting cast is feeding off their gravity.
The Lakers have the firepower to hang with anyone - and if they can clean up the turnovers and tighten the defense, they won’t just be a regular-season story. They’ll be a legitimate threat when it matters most.
For now, the Lakers are winning, scoring in bunches, and playing with a confidence that’s hard to fake. And with Doncic and Reaves leading the charge, it feels like they’re just getting started.