Coming into the 2025–26 NBA season, there were a lot of questions about the Los Angeles Lakers and how the trio of Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves would coexist.
After the first 18 games of the regular season, those questions have subsided, with the Lakers being one of the hottest teams in the league, winning 14 games and advancing to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup.
Perhaps the most unexpected aspect of the season thus far for the Lakers is Reaves taking his game to another level. He’s coming off an impressive 38-point performance and is averaging a career-high 28.5 points per game.
LeBron James Isn’t Surprised by Austin Reaves’ Hot Start
James did not hold back in his comments about Austin Reaves following the Lakers’ victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday at Crypto.com Arena.
James said he has declared on multiple occasions that Reaves is the real deal, adding that nothing the undrafted guard is doing now comes as a surprise. When asked what aspects of Reaves’ game still impress him as a teammate, James responded, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin: “Nothing. Nothing. I told y’all. How long ago did I tell you all, ‘AR can f**king play ball? … It’s nothing [new]. AR, he’s great.”
Q: What are the things that Austin Reaves does that still impresses you as a teammate?
A: “Nothing. Nothing. I told y’all. How long ago did I tell you all, AR can f—-ing play ball? … It’s nothing [new]. AR, he’s great.” pic.twitter.com/5g3n04Gdsp— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 29, 2025
With Reaves having a career year and veteran newcomers Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart proving to be solid additions to this team, the Lakers are cruising while making some noise in the Western Conference.
Even though there’s a lot of basketball left to be played this season and anything can happen from here on out, the Lakers continue to prove they’re a force to be reckoned with. The team has been able to sustain its success despite players being in and out of the lineup due to injuries.
The real question moving forward is whether this team can stay healthy and compete with the best of the West, such as the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the new-look Houston Rockets, and Nikola Jokić’s Denver Nuggets.
The Lakers will get back to work on Sunday night, playing host to the lowly New Orleans Pelicans in Los Angeles. The storied franchise will attempt to extend its win streak to seven games while trying to gain ground on the conference-leading Thunder, who are four games ahead of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company in the standings.
Oklahoma City currently has the best record in the NBA at 19-1.
