At 43-28 this season, the Los Angeles Lakers still have some things to figure out after the Luka Doncic trade. Fortunately, LeBron James laid out the blueprint for their success during a recent interview with Pat McAfee.
“Health is the most important thing for our team. We are not in a position where we can afford anybody to go down,” said James. “Then, after that, Luka, myself, and AR15, we all gotta be clicking at the same time. We know there’s gonna be games where I may not be making my shots, but when I say clicking, I mean we have to be attuned as far as what we have to do every single game. One possession can make you lose a series, and it’s up to us three – I know my voice and what I command out of guys will be heard, Luka’s play, some people lead by example. And then AR, and his infectious play because we know our coaching staff is going to give us the game plan.”
The Lakers have invested a lot in building up their supporting cast. Over the years, they’ve replaced D’Angelo Russell and Kyle Kuzma with guys like Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Jarred Vanderbilt, who all play major roles in the team’s rotation.
No matter how strong the role-players are, LeBron knows that his team’s success hinges on the play of three people: himself, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves. If those three are locked in and on the same page, there’s no limit to what the Lakers can do.
Starting with LeBron, he’s always been the more vocal leader for the Lakers, and his advanced basketball IQ makes him more qualified than anyone to call the shots for his team both on and off the court. With averages of 24.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game on 51.6% shooting this season, LeBron hasn’t lost a step, and if he can stay healthy the rest of the way, the Lakers have a shot against anyone.
At 26 years old, Luka Doncic is the future of the Lakers, and it’s important for him to step up as the center of the team’s offense. Coming from the Mavericks, it’s been a tough transition, but LeBron James and JJ Redick have done their part to make it easier.
While Doncic’s efficiency is down to 41.2% (career-low) in his 18 games as a Laker, he’s quickly regaining his All-Star form with averages of 27.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game. As long as Luka is Luka, the Lakers will continue to be a lethal offensive threat.
The final piece of the puzzle is Austin Reaves. The young guard is the least established of the three, but he’s been reliable this season with averages of 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game on 45.1% shooting. His perimeter play in the backcourt has been a necessary piece of the Lakers’ offense, and his energetic play style often brings the whole team to life.
LeBron James knows more than anyone how important it is for the leaders to step up and set the example for the rest of their team. In the Lakers’ case, that means LeBron, Luka, and Reaves will have to be at their best heading into the playoffs to maximize their chances and give the Lakers the best odds of making another title run.
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