Despite struggles, JJ Redick highlights a clear distinction between Dončić, Reaves, and James.
The Los Angeles Lakers have won three straight games, and two of those wins came against teams sitting near the top of the Western Conference standings.
Without LeBron James in the lineup, Los Angeles took down the New York Knicks 110-97 on Sunday and followed it up with a 120-106 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
The wins pushed the Lakers to 40-25 on the season, pulling them even with Minnesota for the No. 4 seed in the West.
After Tuesday's win, head coach JJ Redick addressed the elephant in the room and explained why Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have looked so comfortable running the offense together without James.
A Clear Pecking Order
"I think when all three of those guys are on the court specifically, again, it goes back to the human element," Redick said.
"But there's a clear pecking order when Luka and AR are on the floor together with guys that are low usage players. That's just the nature of it."
Redick compared the situation to other star trios around the league and throughout NBA history, adding that it is just part of the process of figuring things out with three ball-dominant players.
"And that's the nature of nearly every Big 3 that's ever existed," Redick said.
"We're gonna get there. And I think we've seen some positive signs, and I know LeBron, he recognizes the importance of having Luka as the engine. All he really wants is to impact winning."
Redick has been consistent with his message over the past couple of weeks, repeating his belief that the three stars will eventually find their rhythm together on the court.
"Again, I've said this now for the past two weeks," he said. "We're gonna get there. We're gonna get there."
Statement Wins Stack Up
The numbers back up what Redick is saying about the Luka and Reaves pairing, because the two have been dominant without James this season.
Against the Knicks, Doncic poured in 35 points and eight rebounds while Reaves added 25 points, and Los Angeles never trailed the entire game.
Then against Minnesota, Doncic recorded his seventh triple-double of the season with 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Reaves caught fire in the second half and finished with 31 points of his own on seven made three-pointers.
The two combined for 62 points against the Timberwolves and outscored Minnesota 75-61 in the second half after the game was tied at the break.
On the season, Doncic is averaging 32.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game, and Reaves is putting up 23.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists.
Together without James, the duo has built a 10-2 record this season, which is a sample size that is getting harder and harder to ignore.
Can They Lock Up a Top 4 Seed?
With the win over Minnesota, Los Angeles now sits tied for the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference at 40-25, right alongside the Timberwolves.
The Houston Rockets are just ahead of them at 40-24, while Oklahoma City and San Antonio have separated themselves at the top of the conference.
The Lakers have won six of their last seven games and have been playing some of their best basketball of the year at the right time, but the schedule ahead is not easy with matchups against Chicago, Denver, and Houston still on the table.
James has been sidelined with left foot arthritis and a right hip contusion, and Redick has not given a firm timeline for his return.
When he does come back, the challenge will be making all three pieces fit together the way Redick envisions, because right now the two-man game between Luka and Reaves is working at a very high level.
If the Lakers can keep this up and hold onto that top four spot, they will avoid the play-in tournament entirely and head into the postseason with real momentum behind them.