Fifteen games into the NBA season, any early doubts about the Lakers’ new-look roster are proving to be unfounded. The team has thrived, even with LeBron James sidelined for the first 14 contests, largely due to the dominant play of Luka Dončić, who is leading the league in scoring with 34.6 points per game.
James made his season debut against the Utah Jazz and immediately demonstrated his value, seamlessly integrating into the offense by dishing out 12 assists to guide the Lakers to a decisive victory.
Following the win, teammate Austin Reaves praised the duo’s elite playmaking.
“We have two of the best passers to ever touch a basketball and with them making the right read, I’d say 90% of the time, you’re going to play advantage basketball and, at that point, the game should be pretty easy,” Reaves said. “I thought we did a good job of that tonight… just getting the ball in the right spot and people cutting at the right time, finding the right area. We’re going to continue to grow in those aspects, but tonight it looked pretty good.”
The dynamic Reaves described was on full display during a sequence that led to an open three-pointer for Jake LaRavia. Dončić initiated the play with a hit-ahead pass to James, who drove to the rim and drew four Jazz defenders into the paint. James then kicked the ball out to a wide-open LaRavia, resulting in a catch-and-shoot three from the corner in just five seconds.
Dončić’s individual impact has been a consistent theme all season. He creates significant problems for opposing defenses, who often blitz him to get the ball out of his hands. Even under pressure, he has shown a remarkable ability to find open players, contributing to a career-high average of nine assists per game.
The duo’s influence extends beyond the offensive end. Center Deandre Ayton, who played his first NBA game alongside James, noted the positive effect of his new teammate’s presence on his own defensive performance. The combination of two All-NBA caliber players is quickly establishing the Lakers as a formidable force, silencing early-season skepticism about how the star-studded roster would mesh.
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