With the Los Angeles Lakers missing their two stars, Austin Reaves has excelled as the first option — averaging 35.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists on 57.3% shooting this season. Those aren’t role-player numbers; they’re superstar numbers. Reaves’ breakout performance might signal that the Lakers have a real Big 3 brewing with Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
The Focus of the Defense
It’s one thing to score when you’re an afterthought of a defense that’s focused on Luka Doncic and LeBron James. It’s another to torch them when they’ve circled your name on the scouting report. Against Portland and Minnesota, Austin Reaves wasn’t just part of the game plan — he was the game plan.
With Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent also out, Reaves was the only primary ball handler available. The opposition sent everything at Reaves: full-court pressure, traps, doubles, and long defenders like Toumani Kamara face-guarding him the entire night. Yet somehow, Reaves kept breaking through.
He navigated pressure like a seasoned star, manipulating pace and angles to get to his spots — floaters, leaners, step-throughs, and foul-line jumpers — all while absorbing contact. When the Lakers couldn’t dribble the ball up court, he became their lifeline. When they couldn’t create a shot, he became their offense. He was completely in control.
Composure Beyond His Role
This kind of performance isn’t supposed to happen from a third option. When your top two stars sit, most third options maybe drop 20, 25 points on a good night — especially when the defense is locked on them. But 41 points? 50-level production? That’s insane.
It wasn’t just scoring — it was leadership. Reaves ran the offense like a true point guard, making advanced passes midair and keeping everyone engaged even as the roster crumbled around him.
The Birth of a Big 3
What makes this stretch jaw-dropping isn’t just the points — it’s what they represent. In Games 1 and 2, Luka Doncic scored a combined 92 points. Then, with Luka out, Austin Reaves matched that exact total across Games 3 and 4.
That’s not a coincidence. That’s star-level consistency.
Reaves has gone from undrafted to undeniable. He’s not just a glue guy or secondary playmaker anymore. He’s the kind of player you can hand the ball to and say, “Go win us this game.”
If this version of Austin Reaves is here to stay, the Lakers may not just have a dynamic duo. They may have a legitimate Big 3 — LeBron, Luka, and Austin — each capable of carrying the offense when needed.
Final Thoughts
Austin Reaves proved that even as the main defensive target, he can create offense out of nothing, control tempo, and dominate games when everyone knows he’s the only option.
That’s not normal for a third option. That’s what stars do. And the Lakers might have just found their third one.
