Marcus Morris: ‘I’m going to go with the Lakers. Whenever you have LeBron James and Luka Doncic as your primary ball handlers, and Austin Reaves as the third option, I love that because now you can put the ball in each of those guys’ hands. I said this to you earlier, I felt this Anthony Davis was in LeBron’s way because LeBron’s really a four now, and that’s the position that Anthony Davis wanted to play, he’s always on the box he wasn’t really stretching the three that well, now you add another guard, not even just another guard, let’s just make that clear, you have a top five player that can get it from anywhere, and he’s a matchup nightmare. When 77 walk in the building, OKC, Minnesota, Phoenix, Clippers, they dread seeing him. And now he got No. 23 on his back with him and what does that equal to? 100.’
Source: YouTube
Source: YouTube
More on this storyline
Part of Redick’s strategy to limit the exposure of Doncic, James and Austin Reaves is to have them sag off the perimeter and pack the paint, so they’re not beat off the dribble. “Even their biggest defensive liabilities in Reaves, LeBron and Luka, who is only so-so, are playing well above their defensive standards,” a Western Conference scout told ESPN. The numbers back up the scout’s assessment of Doncic. Since Feb. 10 with the Lakers, he has given up only 0.81 points per direct isolation against him, which is the third-best mark among 23 players to defend at least 40 iso possessions over that stretch, according to Second Spectrum. -via ESPN / March 19, 2025
Once LeBron is back, what’s the priority on the court for the Lakers the rest of the season? Buha: The priority should be getting the offense on track. Since Dončić’s team debut on Feb. 10, the Lakers rank just 16th in offensive rating. It’s not much better with Dončić and James on the floor together: they rank in the 63rd percentile of offensive lineups, per Cleaning The Glass. Between Dončić, James, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, the Lakers have the foundation to be a top-10, if not top-five offense. If they can reach that ceiling and maintain their top-10 defense (they’re sixth since Dončić’s arrival), they have a legitimate chance to beat anyone in a seven-game series. -via New York Times / March 19, 2025
Vinny Benedetto: No LeBron James for the Lakers tomorrow night. Luka Doncic is probable. pic.x.com/Ro7l8IP3FN -via Twitter @VBenedetto / March 18, 2025