Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Los Angeles Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Even with key players out, the Lakers have found a way to keep on stacking wins. That’s what happens when you have multiple role players getting off to career-best starts.
Austin Reaves is flirting with superstardom and averaging 31.1 points per game. Deandre Ayton appears
to have solidified himself as an excellent starting center for the Lakers.
Whether Marcus Smart starts or comes off the bench, he’s been a very impactful player for the purple and gold. He has the best plus-minus on the team at +69, and head coach JJ Redick has called him one of the quarterbacks of the defense.
And last, but certainly not least, is Jake LaRavia. He is off to the best start of his career, averaging 12.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Thanks to this quartet of players going above and beyond their usual level of production, the Lakers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, winning seven of their first nine games.
Now that we have a decent sample size of contests to go off of, we asked fans in our latest SB Nation Reacts poll which player has been the most surprising so far?
The results are in, and 61% of fans say LaRavia has been the biggest surprise.
So, was LaRavia grossly underrated by fans, or has he just been playing that well? It’s probably a combination of both. LaRavia is averaging a career-high in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
Had a fan said in the summer that LaRavia would put up career numbers in all of those categories, it would’ve been labeled as delusion.
LaRavia is clearly meshing well in this Lakers environment and taking advantage of his opportunities. With LeBron James, Luka Dončić and even Austin Reaves missing games, the depth chart has been slimmer and he’s stepped up.
He had a monster game against the Wolves, scoring a career high on the road to beat Minnesota. Still, LaRavia running away with this poll is a bit surprising. Reaves only received 18% and Ayton was right behind him with 15%. Perhaps the inclusion of the word “surprising” in the poll is why LaRavia has dominated.
Fans know Ayton has top player potential, and Reaves has taken steps forward every season, so his continued improvement is not particularly surprising.
Smart only receiving 6% of the votes is understandable, as his game, while impactful, is relatively quiet. He doesn’t hit game winners or score a lot of points, so even when he’s good, he is often overlooked, and the attention goes to the team’s top producers.
The good news is that all four of these Lakers have been great. If they maintain this level of play, LA will likely remain near the top of the Western Conference.
If the biggest debate Lakers fans are having this year is who has unexpectedly played the best, then it’s going to be a successful season.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
