LeBron James made his long-awaited return to the hardwood for the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, and made a meaningful impact in his season debut. While he was away, the numbers tell us that Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves proved that they can produce winning basketball even without number 23.
In 199 minutes of action before LeBron stepped back on the court, the Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves two-man lineup outscored opponents by 17.8 points per 100 possessions, per databallr's WOWY lineup data. They weren't just posting elite statistics, but impacting winning. And they did it while only allowing 108.2 points per 100 possessions defensively.
These numbers shouldn't be surprising for anyone who kept up closely with the first month of the Lakers' season. Luka and Austin proved with both the eye test and the numbers that they're an elite combo on the floor together. Reaves brings spacing and movement, which gives Doncic easier setups and fewer double teams. We can now say with confidence that Austin can consistently unlock Luka's playmaking force.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves dominated in LeBron's absence
This is an extremely relevant development because the Lakers are currently figuring out what their post-LeBron future is going to look like. LA needed to find a viable "next era" narrative with James off the floor, and this duo clearly offers one. Reaves and Doncic gave the Lakers a very clear identity for the first month of the season.
The defensive numbers this duo produced are every bit as important as the offensive ones. The 108.2 points allowed per 100 possessions sets a particularly strong baseline. Very few young combinations can deliver like this at both ends. Neither of these guys would be considered a terrific individual defender, but they're working together to make things happen.
Of course, naysayers are going to point to the 199 minutes as still being a bit of a small sample size. But it's hard to deny that there's something here. If this duo can sustain and expand upon what they've already accomplished, the Lakers' future could feel far less uncertain.
Going forward, LA might want to forego chasing some sort of third star and instead double down on complementary pieces around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The Lakers clearly have something they can work with here when it comes to building a championship roster, and and the front office would be wise to recognize the value of continuity.