The Los Angeles Lakers are doing just fine without LeBron James. Not that they don’t need him, but Austin Reaves has done his best James impersonation in his absence.
Even with Luka Doncic back on the floor, the former undrafted free agent has been the best and most consistent player on JJ Redick’s team, and he put the icing on top of the cake on Sunday night’s win over the Miami Heat.
Reaves found Bronny James in transition for a beautiful lob and a two-handed jam. It might be the best highlight of Bronny’s young NBA career, but it meant more to Reaves.
Austin Reaves Gushes About Throwing Lobs to LeBron and Bronny James
After the 130-120 home win, Reaves pointed out something that might have gone unnoticed otherwise: He might be the first player in NBA history to throw a lob to both a father and his son:
“I’ve got to be the first person in NBA history to throw a father a lob and a son a lob. It got to be right? While they’re still on the same team,” Reaves said. “It was cool. I told Bron as soon as I checked out after that, that it was a pretty special moment.”
Austin Reaves:
“I’ve gotta be the first person in NBA history to throw a father a lob and a son a lob. It’s gotta be right? While we were still on the same team. Y’all wanna do all these damn statistics. It was a pretty special moment” https://t.co/1VEhx5jzdY pic.twitter.com/b0AFDdhu4A
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) November 3, 2025
Those were Bronny’s only points of the night. He went one-for-four with two assists, but he had three steals and made some impact plays on the defensive end of the floor.
And while he may not take the floor as often once the Lakers get some players back, he made the most of his 18 minutes to prove that he belongs in the league.
As for Reaves, he continued his strong start to the season, dropping 26 points on 22 shots to go along with four rebounds, eleven assists, and four three-pointers.
When Will LeBron James Come Back?
James is still nursing a sciatica injury, and he’s reportedly targeting a mid-November season debut. Even so, those injuries tend to linger, and he’s not getting any younger.
The Lakers will be wise to manage his workload throughout the course of the season. Reaves is showing that he can hold down the fort if needed, so there’s no need to rush him back or risk further injury.
Through seven games, he’s averaging 31.1 points, 9.3 assists, and 5.1 rebounds on 48.9% from the floor and 34.4% from beyond the arc, and he has the Lakers sitting on a 5-2 record and the third spot in the Western Conference.