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While Los Angeles Lakers fans are undoubtedly very happy to have Luka Doncic at age 27 and in the beginning of his prime, some of those fans are also concerned about how realistic it is for the team to win the NBA championship with him and Austin Reaves.
That concern almost entirely centers around the defensive shortcomings of both players, in particular Reaves. While Reaves has become an All-Star player and a major scoring threat, as well as a legitimate facilitator, he's a below-average defender and unathletic by NBA standards. He has shown that he's often unable to contain bigger wings and speedy guards defensively.
However, per Dan Woike of The Athletic, a team source says that the defensive shortcomings of Doncic and Reaves are "overstated."
This season, Reaves averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists a game while shooting 49% from the field and 36% from 3-point range. Had it not been for a gastrocnemius strain that cost him several weeks at midseason, he might have been selected to appear in his first NBA All-Star Game.
Some fans are also concerned about Reaves' durability after he also sat out the last five games of this regular season and the first four games of the playoffs with an oblique injury. Once he returned from that oblique injury, his play was up and down in the postseason, continuing a trend from the previous two postseasons.
On the other hand, the Lakers were 10th in defensive rating in March when they won 15 of 17 games. By that time, they had finally been fully healthy for an extended stretch, and the organization likely feels that it was a stretch that indicates what its core is truly capable of, flaws and all.
The Arkansas native is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent later this month. He is reportedly expected to command roughly $40 million a year, and according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times, he will seek a max contract.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers are downplaying lack of defense from Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves
Continue reading...
That concern almost entirely centers around the defensive shortcomings of both players, in particular Reaves. While Reaves has become an All-Star player and a major scoring threat, as well as a legitimate facilitator, he's a below-average defender and unathletic by NBA standards. He has shown that he's often unable to contain bigger wings and speedy guards defensively.
However, per Dan Woike of The Athletic, a team source says that the defensive shortcomings of Doncic and Reaves are "overstated."
This season, Reaves averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists a game while shooting 49% from the field and 36% from 3-point range. Had it not been for a gastrocnemius strain that cost him several weeks at midseason, he might have been selected to appear in his first NBA All-Star Game.
Some fans are also concerned about Reaves' durability after he also sat out the last five games of this regular season and the first four games of the playoffs with an oblique injury. Once he returned from that oblique injury, his play was up and down in the postseason, continuing a trend from the previous two postseasons.
On the other hand, the Lakers were 10th in defensive rating in March when they won 15 of 17 games. By that time, they had finally been fully healthy for an extended stretch, and the organization likely feels that it was a stretch that indicates what its core is truly capable of, flaws and all.
The Arkansas native is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent later this month. He is reportedly expected to command roughly $40 million a year, and according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times, he will seek a max contract.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers are downplaying lack of defense from Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves
Continue reading...
