Austin Reaves is entering 2026-27 with a max contract that is going to immediately raise the bar for both what the Los Angeles Lakers are asking of him and how people evaluate his performances. One area that calls for a quick fix is his playoff production.
Reaves' postseason performances of late have been one of the main subjects for critiquing the type of money the Lakers guard just got on his new extension. On the surface, there is an alarm going off here. During the past two playoff campaigns, Austin's numbers have dipped both times from his regular season production. It is not a great look.
Granted, those conversations ignore the injury issues that Reaves has dealt with during those runs. Context is never key when it comes to hating, though. Luckily for the Lakers star guard, there should be an avenue for escape from these narratives anyhow. The answer lies with his best buddy.
Everyone knows about Luka Doncic and his well-deserved rep for elevating the guys around him. One area in particular should be helped by having the two share the floor. Reaves' 3-point stats, which have been a big part of his scoring drop-off in the postseason, should get a notable boost from Luka.
Luka Doncic's playmaking creates a way for Austin Reaves to maintain his deep-ball scoring
The only sample size we have of Doncic and Reave together in the postseason is the underwhelming 2025 playoffs. For good reason, that one can be discounted as a legitimate look at what the Lakers will get.
Depth issues from a blockbuster midseason trade, Austin's aforementioned ailments, Doncic's lack of being settled in Los Angeles, plus so much more made it an imperfect thing to evaluate. Dynamics on the team have shifted, too. Reaves has also grown as a player. The short version: 2025 is a wash.
Let us look back to the 2025-26 season. Naturally, Doncic and Reaves did not share the court in the playoffs. Luka missed the entire postseason campaign, and even Austin took his time before finally debuting in Game 5 against the Houston Rockets, ahead of schedule for his injury return timeline.
The point here is going to be that without Doncic around, Reaves suffered a steep drop-off on his scoring when it comes to his catch-and-shoot 3-point shooting, specifically.
During the regular season, this was an area in which Reaves was cash money. The Lakers guard shot 40.5 percent on his catch-and-shoot attempts from beyond the arc. In the playoffs, with no Doncic, that number came crashing down to a woeful 21.4 percent.
If there is one thing that is reliable like death, taxes, or the Costco return policy, it is Luka's ability to set up great shooting opportunities on the perimeter. Reaves missed out on that.
Look to Kyrie Irving for a comparison. In the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Doncic's old co-star shot 39.0 percent from deep overall and 38.0 percent on his catch-and-shoot chances specifically. Those opportunities are always going to be available at a high level around Luka.
In general, the immense attention that Doncic commands from defenses should open up the floor for Reaves and allow him to face defenses that are not prioritizing him over his backcourt partner. However, this is a focused area in which Luka can directly help Austin maintain his scoring.
That should pave the way for Reaves' "dropper" label became a thing of the past, quickly.
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