The Los Angeles Lakers went 30-11 last season when Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves played together, but it wasn’t just the team's success. Head coach JJ Redick has already figured out how to put the duo in positions to succeed. The Lakers had a 9.2 net rating when Doncic and Reaves played together, which was the best on the team with a minimum of 116 minutes played. Only the Thunder produced a better net rating over the entire season, but it wasn’t just that.
Fans will always point to questions about LA’s defense when Luka and Reaves are on the floor. Both men struggle guarding on the perimeter and can be targeted. When Redick used the duo, they produced a 111.9 defensive rating over 1,092 minutes. That would have been the fifth-best mark in the NBA over the entire season, behind only the Thunder, Pistons, Spurs, and Celtics.
Experts are already taking shots at the Lakers, but this team will exceed expectations. The Pistons had the third-best record in the NBA at 60-22, which is an identical pace to what the purple and gold did with Doncic and Reaves on the floor. The Lakers also upgraded their supporting cast and have history on their side.
JJ Redick built an elite offense around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves
It wasn’t just the plus-defense. The Lakers had a 121.0 offensive rating with Doncic and Reaves on the court. That would have fallen just 0.2 points per 100 possessions behind the Nuggets for best in the NBA. The Hornets ranked fifth at 118.4. Redick already has figured out how to have an elite offense with this duo.
That should be no surprise. Luka is one of the best shot creators in the world, and Austin Reaves has blossomed into a second star. Doncic led the NBA in scoring for the second time in three years. He is also an elite pick-and-roll creator and a deadly 3-point shooter. Teams have to sell out to slow him down, which lets AR feast.
The Lakers added even more offensive firepower this summer. Walker Kessler will be the roll man that Luka has clamored for since arriving in Los Angeles. Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton can do more with the ball in their hands than last season’s role players. The Lakers will miss LeBron James, but they should be deeper and more versatile.
Good luck stopping them. Luka is no stranger to leading the best offense in the world. The Lakers have the firepower, and Redick already knows how to maximize his stars.
Luka Doncic’s star pairings get better over time
Luka has played with another star dating back to his rookie year in Dallas. Those pairings have more success the longer they play together. This will be Luka’s third season playing next to Reaves after the shocking 2025 deadline trade. The Lakers went 16-10 when Doncic and AR shared the floor in the 2024-25 season. LA won more overall and was better with the star duo last season.
This is a trend for Luka. The Mavs went from winning 34.4 percent of his games with Brunson to 67.7 percent. It was a 5.6 percent increase in his three years with Kristaps Porzingis. Dallas won 68.6 percent of their regular-season games with Luka and Kyrie Irving together during the season they reached the NBA Finals. Give Doncic time, and he figures it out.
JJ Redick has already proved his point
The Lakers had 41 games with Doncic and Reaves together last season. They went 30-11. Fans remember their blistering 15-2 March, when Los Angeles looked like a serious title threat. This can be an elite duo, and coach Redick deserves a ton of credit.
He asked LeBron to take a step back last season. James was the third option when the stars were healthy. Luka was the alpha with Reaves playing the co-star role. Redick optimized his lineups to succeed on both ends of the floor. That isn’t easy to do, especially because the Lakers lacked a true defensive anchor.
The Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves pairing will be elite this season. JJ Redick knows how to maximize his stars and wants to win every game. The Los Angeles Lakers head coach will prove the doubters wrong and have his team in the race for a top-three seed in the Western Conference. Doubt coach Redick and the new-look Lakers at your own risk. Fans who do will end up regretting it.
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