Despite the absence of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the LA Lakers have gone up 2-0 in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets. The way Kenyon Martin sees it, the Lakers are actually better off when they’re playing without their six-time All-Star.
On Wednesday’s episode of “Gil’s Arena,” Martin said that the Lakers perform better on the defensive end with LeBron James, not Doncic, at the helm.
“They’ve taken on the identity of LeBron. He’s the ace again…His voice is resonating again with the group…When the other guy is there, there’s no accountability on the other end of the floor.”
Martin also praised the Lakers’ defensive game plan, which hurt the efficiency of two key players on the opposing team.
“They doubled [Alperen] Sengun early, they doubled Kevin Durant early. They got them out of rhythm, got Sengun to thinking. He didn’t know where the double-team was gonna come from.”
With James setting the tone defensively, the Lakers frustrated the Rockets’ main man, forcing Durant to commit a game-high nine turnovers on Tuesday.
Earlier this season, it appeared as though LBJ was taking a step back as Luka Doncic ran the show. However, with both Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) getting sidelined by injuries, James had to step back into the prominent leadership role that he has embraced for two decades.
The Lakers’ 2-0 series lead, which they secured under LeBron’s watch, can now buy Doncic and Reaves more time to recuperate. Both guards have been projected to miss the entirety of the first round, but if the Lakers can take care of business in swift fashion against the Rockets, there will be less pressure on Doncic and Reaves to rush their recovery.
Report: Austin Reaves Progressing Faster Towards Recovery Than Luka Doncic
It appears, however, that Luka Doncic will have to take more time than Austin Reaves to get back on the court.
This week, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Reaves is further along in his recovery compared to Doncic. While the Lakers’ 2-0 series lead over the Rockets bodes well for the rehab process of both guards, the purple and gold squad will have a greater sense of urgency to get Doncic back on the floor if they do advance to the second round.
On the Lakers’ side of the bracket, the defending champions OKC Thunder are favored to win over their first-round opponents, the Phoenix Suns. It’s imperative for the Lakers to wield the combined firepower of Doncic, Reaves, and James if they are to stand a chance against the best defensive squad in the league.
