With the news that Austin Reaves is slated to miss at least four weeks of action with a left gastrocnemius strain, the Los Angeles Lakers are about to get a painful LeBron James and Luka Doncic reality check that they are all too familiar with. Without Reaves on the court this season (yes, even with James), Doncic hasn’t been nearly as optimized. And the same can be said the other way around.
The Lakers are already slipping. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games and have lost three in a row. Now, they’re going to have to face life without Reaves, and that hasn’t been a pretty reality for them thus far.
And unfortunately, this could be a make-or-break stretch for Doncic and James.
Lakers need Doncic and James to co-exist with Reaves out
Since returning from his injury, it’s been clear that James isn’t the same player he once was. He’s still an impactful NBA player. Perhaps even an All-Star. But he’s not the same James who has dominated the NBA for 20 years.
The stats this year prove that, especially when combined with what Doncic and Reaves have been able to do. And now, with Reaves out for at least a month, the Lakers are going to learn how much James has left in the tank.
According to Databallrs, the three-man lineup of Doncic, Reaves, and James has been a net negative this season. In fact, it has had a net rating of -11.2 in 134 minutes.
Of those three players, the best combination has been Doncic and Reaves together with James off the court. Those lineups have dominated. Doncic, Reaves, and company have accrued a net rating of +19.9 in 267 minutes.
The next-best is James alone, which should give fans some hope. Without Doncic and Reaves on the court, James has had a net rating of +9.2. But the problem comes when he and Doncic share the floor.
Those two together, with Reaves off the floor, have earned a net rating of -15.0 in 118 minutes. Reaves has been the glue holding them together, and without him, Doncic and James are betting off when they aren’t on the floor together. Even with all three on the court, the Lakers have had a -11.2 net rating in 134 minutes.
That’s a scary reality for the Lakers, as with Reaves out, the two will undoubtedly be sharing the court much, much more.
Based on all of the stats, the best Lakers lineups come when Reaves shares the court with Doncic or James, or it’s only one of the two big-name stars on the court with role players.
Now, with Reaves out, the Lakers are going to be forced to test that theory. And when Doncic and James do inevitably share the court, it’s could be a tough reality check for LA to deal with.