With 21 games left, there is still much to be decided for the Lakers.
On the long road that is the NBA season, LA can see the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings is just a game-and-a-half away. However, the objects in their rearview are closer than they appear as they are also just two games ahead of the seventh-seed Suns, who are currently play-in-bound.
That means there’s little to no room for error. They will either arrive at their desired destination come mid-April or it’s going to be
a bumpy ride with an ugly ending.
Buckle up, Lakers fans.
5 things I liked and didn’t like
1. A nice little streak
With the Lakers playing games against the Warriors, Pelicans and Kings, this week, they had an opportunity to stack wins. They accomplished that feat and played well.
But, forgive me if I’m not going to stand up and clap about the greatness of the 2025-26 Lakers.
After all, they played a Steph Curry-less Warriors, a Kings team with the worst record in the NBA, and a Pelicans side yet to win 20 games.
Still, sometimes, the most important thing to do is what’s expected of you. They didn’t disappoint this week, and now they are in a position to impress and prove they are a higher-level team than their record indicates.
2. Ignoring the drama
It’s not always fun in Lakerland, but it’s never boring.
Even in victory, there are enough miserable, negative people to find darkness in the light. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that when Luka Dončić and head coach JJ Redick had an argument during the team’s win against the Warriors, it went viral.
Still, I was taken aback by how many people were obsessed with it. It was a topic on every show and podcast, big and small and before the Lakers played the Pelicans, Redick was asked about it multiple times.
His response was what I expected: to dismiss it as nothing out of the ordinary.
If this shocks people or is considered a problem, then every team in the NBA has massive issues. If the average fan heard how players talk when mics aren’t around or when they are comfortable, their jaws would drop to the floor.
Even from publicly available things, this is rather tame. It’s not Kobe Bryant yelling during practice, berating the general manager and insulting his teammates. And it certainly isn’t Draymond Green knocking out Jordan Poole.
This was just a heat-of-the-moment argument that was likely forgotten between the two of them in a matter of minutes.
3. What’s up with Reaves?
LA’s big three is fully healthy, but is it working? Last week, one of the topics in my journal was the offense’s struggles.
LeBron and Luka have had some good games this week, but Austin Reaves did not. He has struggled to score against any opponent. Over the past five games, he’s been held under 20 points in every contest, well below his average of 23.8 per game.
So what’s the problem?
Is it just a poor shooting slump? Is it having trouble getting integrated with LeBron being back on the floor? Or is there a bigger issue?
Are teams getting more physical with him and is Reaves’ inability to get to the paint and finish through contact becoming an issue again? During the playoffs last year, we saw Reaves get bullied by the Wolves, which led to a poor series.
A rough week won’t erase a career that’s had a positive trajectory, nor will it eradicate what’s so far been a great year for Reaves. But I’m perked up a bit, especially since this is a contract season and we’re about to enter the most important part of the year.
4. Take a bow, Jaxson Hayes!
From the outside looking in, it’s easy to say a player should accept whatever role they are given. But how would you react at your workplace if you were asked to minimize yourself for the betterment of others?
That’s what Hayes did in LA by returning on a one-year deal and getting demoted from starter to backup.
Not only did he take this in stride, but he’s responded by having a great season. His performance against the Pelicans was a prime example.
Hayes started on the bench but, after outplaying Deandre Ayton, Redick decided to stick with him down the stretch of the close game. That confidence in Hayes was rewarded as he stymied Zion Williamson, getting multiple stops on him down the stretch.
The Lakers won and Hayes was a big reason why. This isn’t the first time Hayes has stepped up and helped LA win a game, and it certainly won’t be his last.
The Hayes redemption arc was not something I thought we’d see, but I’m glad the basketball gods added it to the script.
5. Plus, plus-minus
While most of the year has seen Lakers lineups in the negative, this week has been positive.
The seven most used fine-man lineups all won their shifts, led by the starting lineup at +14, the second-highest plus-minus. The best lineup featured Reaves, Hayes, Dončić, Jake LaRavia and Luke Kennard, which played for 13 minutes and was a +20.
It’s great to see the starters winning their minutes as well as this new lineup with Hayes and Kennard working so well.
Hopefully, that continues as LA begins facing some tougher opponents.
Stat of the Week
If I were to call Luka one thing, it’d be consistent. No matter what, he is going to produce.
In Sunday’s home win against the Kings, Luka had 28 points, five rebounds and nine assists in 29 minutes. It marked his 35th game this season, recording 25+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists, most in the NBA.
There is plenty left to figure out regarding how to make the Lakers one of the best teams in the league, but what’s clear is that Luka is a great No. 1 option to start that with.
Play of the Week
Basketball is fun. The Play of the Week is a reminder of this as Dončić adds another ridiculous make to his ever-expanding highlight reel.
Luka begins by quickly driving hard towards the rim. He tries to come to a hard stop, but begins to slip while also handling the ball behind his back.
This slip could’ve led to a turnover. But somehow, Luka quickly got back up and recovered. The play looked like something you’d see on the playground or in an AND1 mixtape.
Once Luka was back on his feet, he quickly got a shot up and drilled it. On the Spectrum broadcast, Billy Mac had the perfect call for this play.
“If this goes in…It goes in! That’s some magic from Luka!”
Player of the Week
Luka can always be Player of the Week, but he gets it this time since he was the most consistent Laker and a big reason why they have won three straight games.
He averaged 30.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists, leading the Lakers in all three categories.
Yeah, that’ll get it done.
Stories of the Week
Lakers’ big 3 of LeBron, Luka and Austin Reaves have been too small this season- The Athletic
While this week was better for LA’s big three, overall, there is work left to do. Law Murray broke down the stats for the trio in his latest piece for The Athletic.
In 297 minutes, the Lakers have outscored opponents by only three points with Dončić, James, and Reaves together. There have been eight games in which L.A. has outscored opponents during the trio’s shared minutes, eight in which the Lakers have been outscored and one in which they played to a draw.
One of the more disappointing aspects of the Dončić-James-Reaves combo has been the offense. The Lakers have scored only 109.2 points per 100 possessions this season with their three best players on the floor, a figure that would rank below every NBA team except the gap-year Indiana Pacers.
The Lakers schedule is about to test how good they are – Silver Screen and Roll
Alex Regla always provides thoughtful critiques of the Lakers for the site, and he laid out why this upcoming stretch will decide who the Lakers truly are.
The Lakers will go head-to-head with the clubs they’re currently sandwiched between in Minnesota and Phoenix. Additionally, they also have two pivotal matchups remaining against Houston, Denver and Oklahoma City each.
Given how bunched up everyone still is, tiebreakers will likely play a big role in determining the final playoff bracket.
For example, despite still having one game remaining against Phoenix, the Lakers have already lost the season series to the Suns, a result of the two sides playing an extra time this season during the NBA Cup knockout rounds. Conversely, thanks to their two early-season wins against Minnesota, the Lakers have notched the season series over the Timberwolves. Tiebreakers against Houston and Denver are still up for grabs.
It may sound like hyperbole, but this is why the Lakers’ entire season could come down to how they fare in these eight games.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
