Austin Reaves Is Still Messing Around With Luka Doncic: "I Gotta Keep His Confidence High"

On paper, Austin Reaves is an awkward fit with Luka Dončić, as these two guards need the ball in their hands to thrive. In reality, though, Reaves and Dončić have both put up impressive numbers in their first full season together in the Lakers' backcourt.

Laker Nation, of course, has also been closely following the antics of these two young athletes, who have been putting on a buddy cop act worthy of Rush Hour. Reaves and Dončić, after all, are playing right next door to Hollywood; on more than one occasion, each of them has delivered a well-timed quip at the expense of the other.

This past Sunday, Reaves was at it again. After the Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 133–121, reporter Mike Trudell asked the fifth-year pro about missing his final free throw, which would have allowed him to match Dončić’s 34-point performance that night. Without missing a beat, Reaves had a solid excuse for bricking that bonus shot.

“I gotta keep Luka’s confidence high,” Reaves said, barely able to conceal a mischievous grin. “I don’t need to outscore him two nights in a row.”

Whether or not Reaves gives enough affirmation, Dončić has felt and looked invincible this season. Thanks to his scoring output against New Orleans, the Slovenian sensation has become just the sixth player in Lakers history to score at least 30 points in six consecutive games. Dončić, as a matter of fact, leads the league in scoring with a scintillating 35.1 points per outing, while also contributing 8.7 rebounds and 9.2 assists a night.

Meanwhile, Reaves has certainly pulled his weight for the purple-and-gold squad. Aided in part by missed games from Dončić and LeBron James, the undrafted guard has jacked his numbers to 28.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, and 6.8 apg. Reaves is also putting up career highs in two-point field-goal percentage (65.1%) and free-throw shooting (88.2%), solidifying his status as one of the most prolific scorers on the Lakers roster.

At this point, only the Oklahoma City Thunder hold a better record in the Western Conference than the Lakers. While James continues to find his groove after a delayed season debut, the Lakers can continue to rely on a pair of frenemies who are playing the best basketball of their careers.