The Los Angeles Lakers secured a hard-fought 117-112 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, highlighted by a stellar performance from Luka Doncic, who returned after missing several games due to injury. Austin Reaves also stepped up, showing that he can be a major contributor in the NBA.
The 26-year-old guard, Reaves, jokingly addressed rumors of friction between him and Doncic, making it clear there’s no bad blood. “I think it’s full of hate. I don’t really know, but I was really happy seeing him back playing basketball today,” Reaves said in a postgame interview.
Reaves also praised Luka’s leadership and performance in his return, crediting his ability to take over when the team needs him most—a sentiment echoed by JJ Redick after the game, who joked about Doncic’s dominant first half.
“It’s just playing the right way. And then, obviously, he just took over the game. He’s done it a million times, and he’s really good at basketball. He’s got the capability of putting a team on his back, and he did that tonight,” Reaves said.
Luka Doncic’s strong return
It was Luka’s first game back after a three-game absence, and he picked up exactly where he left off. In 38 minutes, he torched the Grizzlies for 44 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists on 51.9% shooting. Most importantly, he secured the victory, improving the Lakers’ record to 4-2.
His absence had caused concern for the Lakers, but Reaves stepped up in the meantime, posting career-best numbers with an average of 34.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 10.0 assists during Luka’s time out.
It remains to be seen if Reaves can maintain these numbers, but with Doncic back, he no longer carries the full scoring load. Now, he can shine alongside one of the NBA’s elite scorers without the pressure of being the primary option.