JJ Redick‘s Los Angeles Lakers have looked particularly threatening as of late. Even with LeBron James sidelined, the Purple and Gold came off a convincing 120-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, extending their winning streak to three games.
LeBron James’ absence has been noted by many, but the team’s 14-7 record without him on the floor cannot be overlooked anymore. In light of this, JJ Redick noted why the Lakers had been more successful with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves leading the team during his pregame media availability.
“I think when all three of those guys are on the court, specifically, again, it goes back to the human element,” Redick began. “It’s what they’re comfortable doing as basketball players, which, for all three of those guys, one of those guys having scored the most points in NBA history and doing it for 23 years, is to have the ball in his hands.”
“[Luka Doncic] has five First Team All-NBAs, should make another First Team All-NBA this year, is [used] to having the ball in his hands. So the human struggle to want what you want, and AR is ascending to an All-Star level, but the human struggle to want what you want while also having the emotional maturity and recognition that you have someone next to you, it hasn’t been as clean.”
“I think we’re starting to get it. But there’s a clear pecking order when Luka and AR are on the floor together with guys that are low usage players,” Redick continued. “That’s just the nature of it. And that’s the nature of nearly every Big 3 that has ever existed. We’re gonna get there.”
JJ Redick concluded by acknowledging that even LeBron James understood the importance of Luka Doncic driving the team forward. Given that Doncic has appeared virtually unstoppable in this recent stretch, there is certainly some merit in committing to this approach.
Still, considering how the team has been performing, there may be some room to argue that the Lakers may be better off without LeBron James.
In the last three games, the Purple and Gold have looked dominant. With two noteworthy wins against top 10 teams, whom they have typically struggled against this season, the Lakers look like a genuine playoff contender.
For the 2025-26 season, L.A. posts an average of 115.9 points per game and 114.9 points allowed per game. Although the sample size is small, in this recent stretch, the Lakers are averaging 119.3 points per game and 106.6 points allowed per game.
James’ absence has also led to an increase in the team’s offensive rating lately. While the Lakers boast a rating of 116.6 (9th in the NBA), without LeBron James, their rating is roughly 124.2, suggesting that the team’s offense flows better with Doncic and Reaves running the show.
The most notable difference has been Austin Reaves’ production, which has been considerably better as of late. After a 31-point outing against the Wolves, the Lakers’ guard continued to assert himself as a reliable scoring option behind Doncic.
With back-to-back 20+ point games, Reaves appears to be returning to the All-Star form that he was in before sustaining his injury. This is undoubtedly promising for the Lakers, but when factoring in how James’ presence limits Reaves’ ability to contribute, JJ Redick and the Purple and Gold may have a problem brewing.
For the most part, James’ unavailability has been managed quite positively as Los Angeles improved to 40-25 on the season (fourth in the West). With the superstar likely to return, however, JJ Redick may be forced to make some tough decisions to ensure that his team’s momentum isn’t affected.
