Heading into the 2025-26 NBA season, there were many questions about the new-look Los Angeles Lakers and whether the team had enough talent to compete with the best in the Western Conference. Additionally, there was uncertainty about whether the trio of Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves would work together effectively.
As the team gets its 20th regular-season game underway on Monday against division-rival Phoenix Suns, many of those questions have been answered, with the Lakers winning seven straight games and sporting one of the best records in the NBA at 15-4.
Lakers Insider Reveals Why Team’s Trio Dominates
Even without James on the floor for the first 14 games of the 2025-26 campaign, the Lakers were able to flourish, with Dončić and Reaves proving to be a dynamic duo and in contention for one of the best backcourts in the league.
Now that James is back in the fold, the Lakers haven’t missed a beat, continuing to win consistently and putting the team in the title-contending conversation.
Lakers insider Jovan Buha recently shared his thoughts on why James’ return has turned the team’s offense into an unstoppable force, via NBA TV.
Lebron is back… and the Lakers are on FIRE 🔥
Lakers reporter @jovanbuha joins The Association to explain why LeBron’s return has turned the Lakers into one of the most unstoppable offensive trios in the league.
Lakers take on the Suns at 10pm/et on Peacock! pic.twitter.com/yEWZ7aOXov
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 2, 2025
“Right now, they have the best offense in the NBA with LeBron on the floor and the worst defense,” Buha said of the Lakers. “I think both of those numbers will come down, but with LeBron, Luka and Austin on the floor, I just don’t know how you defend that trio, especially when they’re running these Luka pick-and-rolls, where teams are blitzing and trapping around halfcourt, and you have LeBron in four-on-three, three-on-two situations just picking defenses apart and that’s why you’ve seen some of these double-digit assist numbers.
Buha went on to add that LeBron is facing unfamiliar defenses this season — in a good way — that have made his job much easier since returning from injury.
“LeBron is walking into some of the easiest passes of his career just because of how teams are guarding Luka and Austin, so I think it is a really good problem for the Lakers to have, but again, I think the big thing for them is figuring out the defensive end right now.”
So far, the Lakers and their star trio haven’t shown any signs of struggling, and no one seems to think this red-hot start to the season is a fluke.
However, there’s a lot of basketball left to be played this season, and anything can happen moving forward, especially as teams around the league start to catch on to what the Lakers are doing night in and night out.
For now, the Lakers appear to be an unstoppable force offensively and perhaps the best competition for the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has literally been an unstoppable force, with only the Portland Trail Blazers getting the best of them so far this season.
The Thunder, unlike the Lakers, have been elite on both ends of the basketball floor, which is likely the most significant difference between these two West heavyweights. Oklahoma City’s defense is top-notch, while that side of the floor is arguably Los Angeles’ biggest flaw and something that needs to improve throughout this season.