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DončićReaves Bond Fuels Lakers' Fast Start

Their playful rivalry off the court has helped forge unusually seamless chemistry.

Overview

  • Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves detailed a friendly competition spanning golf, foosball, darts, cards and bowling, with Dončić joking he is “ducking” Reaves on the golf course.
  • Reaves recounted a late-night bowling session at Dončić’s Manhattan Beach home with team staff, with the two disagreeing over who actually won.
  • Their combined 61.4 points per game is the second-highest by an NBA duo in the past 60 years, according to ESPN Insights.
  • The Lakers are 19-9 despite LeBron James missing more than half of their games, and Reaves carried a 2-1 stretch while Dončić sat, averaging 40 points, 10 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals.
  • Los Angeles still ranks 24th defensively as Dončić and Reaves manage recent calf issues, underscoring the offense‑defense tradeoff shaping the team’s ceiling.