Can the Lakers still beat top teams?
The Los Angeles Lakers have heard the doubters all season long, and at 41-25 through 66 games, they keep finding ways to answer them.
Sitting third in the Western Conference and riding a four-game winning streak heading into Saturday night's showdown with Denver, Los Angeles has quietly turned into one of the most dangerous teams in the league since the All-Star break.
The concern around this team has always been their defense, and rightfully so, because through late January they ranked near the bottom of the league in defensive rating while their offense carried the load.
The Offense Has Always Been There
The Lakers entered the trade deadline with one of the better offenses in basketball, led by Luka Doncic's 32.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game, but their defense was dragging them down and making people question if this group could survive a seven-game playoff series.
At the deadline, Rob Pelinka opted not to swing for a defensive anchor and instead doubled down on spacing by acquiring Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks for Gabe Vincent and a second-round pick.
Critics called it a mistake, saying Los Angeles was ignoring the one glaring weakness that could sink them in the postseason.
Since the All-Star break, though, the results tell a different story.
The Lakers have won six of their last seven games, and the defense has tightened up considerably during that stretch, holding opponents to 110 points or fewer in multiple outings during this recent run.
Austin Reaves Is Playing His Best Ball
A big part of the surge has been the play of Austin Reaves, who is putting up 23.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game this season and has been even better since returning to the starting lineup after the break.
Over his last 12 games, Reaves is averaging 20.2 points, 4.3 assists and 2.3 threes per game while shooting 43.1 percent from deep, giving the Lakers a reliable second scorer who can take over when Doncic needs a breather.
That kind of shooting alongside Kennard's arrival has opened up the floor in a way that makes the Lakers' offense almost impossible to slow down when everyone is clicking.
Big Wins That Prove They Belong
The recent stretch has included some statement victories that should change the conversation around this team.
They beat the Knicks 110-97 in a physical game that Rui Hachimura said felt like a playoff game, and then went on the road and knocked off Minnesota 120-106 without LeBron James, who has been dealing with a hip contusion and foot issues.
On Thursday night, Doncic dropped 51 points in a 142-130 win over the Bulls to push the streak to four, and the Lakers moved into the third seed with the win.
What makes this team especially tough to dismiss is their record without LeBron, sitting at 13-8 overall and 10-2 when Doncic and Reaves both play without James in the lineup.
That depth matters because it means the Lakers are not reliant on one guy being healthy to win, and when all three are on the court together, the ceiling goes even higher.
With 16 games left and a real shot at locking in a top-four seed, the Lakers are building the kind of momentum that teams want heading into the playoffs, and anyone still counting them out is not paying close enough attention.