The Los Angeles Lakers continue to play strong basketball. At this point in the season, they are the top seed in the Western Conference. That’s not something that most pundits saw coming, but the play of Luka Doncic is making it possible.
Doncic is having the best season of his career. He is leading the league in points and is opening things up for everyone else. That includes Austin Reaves, who is also having a great season. In fact, Reaves is on track to make the first All-Star team of his career.
Lakers’ Austin Reaves Given a Great Chance to Make First All-Star Team
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes that Reaves has a real shot to make his first All-Star team this season. He points to Reaves’ production in the two games that Doncic has missed as a reason why Reaves should get the All-Star nod.
“On Nov. 8, Reaves racked up 43 points without Dončić, carrying the Lakers to an impressive five-point victory over the Detroit Pistons and their top-five defense. That effort contributed to what is so far a career-best 25.3 points per game scoring average,” Hughes writes.
To go along with that scoring average, Reaves is shooting the ball at an incredible clip. He is shooting over 50 percent from the field, over 41 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, and over 90 percent from the free-throw line. That 50/40/90 split is hallowed ground.
Reaves signed a max contract extension in the offseason, which really solidified the direction that the Lakers were going. They were clearly building around both Doncic and Reaves moving forward. In doing that, they decided to part ways with LeBron James.
That decision seems to have worked out thus far for both parties. The Lakers are at the top of the West, while James and the 76ers are at the top of the East. Reaves has really been allowed to open up as a scorer now that another ball-dominant player is off the roster.
Los Angeles Needs Reaves to Stay Highly Productive
The Lakers have already had Doncic miss a couple of games. He has a history of injuries, including missing all of the playoffs a year ago. Trying to keep him healthy for the postseason will be the priority, meaning LA will lean more on Reaves to keep the party going offensively.
To this point, the Lakers have the best offensive rating in the league. A lot of that is due to what both Doncic and Reaves have been able to do thus far. How long that lasts will be determined by how healthy each of those players is able to stay in the regular season.
Reaves has an opportunity to become a first-time All-Star if he is able to keep his play up. There’s no reason why the Lakers wouldn’t have two All-Stars this season if they are at or near the top of the Western Conference.
Lakers’ Austin Reaves Given Great Shot to Clear Award for the First Time