Lakers try to fight the boredom of seventh straight win
Lakers guards Luka Doncic, left, and Austin Reaves, right, have become a dynamic scoring duo.
(Jessie Alcheh/Associated Press)
Doncic is, in Redick’s estimation, “one of the greatest offensive movers of all time.” His running mate Reaves, in the midst of a career year, is “one of the biggest offensive engines in the NBA this year.”
The Lakers’ star guards overexerted themselves to power the LeBron James-less Lakers on Sunday, combining for 67 points and 15 assists as James missed the game with a right foot injury.
Doncic entered the game as the NBA’s leading scorer, averaging 35.1 points per game, but was also ranked second in assists per game with 9.4 assists per game. He had his sixth straight 30-point game on Sunday with 34 points, adding seven assists, 12 rebounds and just two turnovers, despite being double-teamed almost every time he had the ball. In fact, Doncic invited double teams, signaling additional defenders to close in on him as he surveyed the court.
“The gravity he has on the field, it’s impossible to protect him one way or another because [of] his ability to pass the ball, his unselfishness and his ability to shoot,” Reaves said. “Then once you blitz him, you have the basketball advantage and we like our chances.”
Doncic said Friday after dishing out 11 assists with 35 points against the Dallas Mavericks that if he gets blitzed by extra defenders, it’s a sign he’s done his job. Playing four-on-three is “the easiest basketball you can play,” he said proudly.
Doncic and Reaves are the fourth pair of teammates in 50 years to each record 30 or more points in three consecutive games, according to the NBA. Powered by the sudden return of his three-point basket, Reaves scored 31 points against the Clippers last Tuesday and 38 against the Mavericks on Friday. He’s made 12 of 19 three-point attempts (63.1%) over the past three games after shooting 31.1% from beyond the arc this season.
