The goal for the Los Angeles Lakers over the next week or so is to hold the fort as they face a tough run of games without star forward LeBron James, who is still dealing with a groin injury and will still be out for at least one week. On Sunday afternoon, the Lakers took care of business against the Phoenix Suns, grabbing a 107-96 victory at home — with Luka Doncic leading the way with 33 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists and Austin Reaves continuing his incredible play with 28 points, four rebounds, and dimes.
With other teams breathing down their neck in the standings, the Lakers can ill-afford to have many more losses. A short losing streak could prove to be the difference between making it to the playoffs outright and having to secure their spot via the play-in tournament, which is something that head coach JJ Redick wants to avoid. And to that end, the Purple and Gold’s chemistry is growing by the day, with Reaves outlining how his connection with Doncic is getting stronger the more reps they share on the hardwood.
“On-court chemistry is a real thing. Anytime that you can log more minutes together, you’re gonna figure out how to play with one another. When you play with him, you’re gonna get good looks,” Reaves told Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet following the Lakers’ win.
AR on playing with Luka:
“On-court chemistry is a real thing. Anytime that you can log more minutes together, you’re gonna figure out how to play with one another.” @LakersReporter pic.twitter.com/UGvG8muOfs
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 16, 2025
Indeed, Doncic is someone whose mere presence on the court makes the game easier for the rest of his teammates, and the Lakers sorely missed his services in their loss against the Denver Nuggets back on Friday night. And with Reaves coming into his own as one of the best playmaking and scoring guards in the association, the Lakers may very well hold steady in the standings even amid James’ absence.
The next week will be crucial for the Lakers
Life without LeBron James in the Lakers’ first three games since he suffered a groin injury wasn’t the easiest. They suffered three straight defeats, with one of those losses coming against the Brooklyn Nets. But clearly, the Lakers aren’t just about to roll over and lick their wounds amid James’ time on the mend.
Their competitive effort on Friday against the Nuggets despite being shorthanded shows that the Lakers are digging deep in preparation for the week that lies ahead. They have a game against the San Antonio Spurs tomorrow night on the second of a back-to-back, and then on Wednesday/Thursday, they have another back-to-back set against the Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively.
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