Luka, Reaves, and the two-day period that transformed the Lakers’ season
THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS’ late-season momentum not only elevated their standing in the rankings but also reshaped their internal dynamics and strengthened their confidence.
For over a month — precisely 33 days — from late February to early April, the Lakers emerged as one of the most formidable teams in the league, seemingly gaining traction for an extended playoff journey.
The injuries that had affected the roster since the beginning of training camp had subsided. The roles of the Lakers’ trio, Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, had achieved a balanced synergy. The outcomes had been overwhelmingly positive.
Between February 28 and April 1, the Lakers recorded a 16-2 record. Their offense, which had been ranked 11th during the initial 58 games of the season, surged to 4th place. Their defense, previously 24th, became a dependable 9th.
Despite being 10 games over .500 prior to this streak, there were valid concerns regarding the sustainability of their performance up to that moment — and their enhanced play alleviated those worries.
The team that struggled with shooting improved its 3-point percentage from 19th to 8th. The squad that lacked the necessary athleticism to defend against fast breaks moved from 13th in opponent’s fast-break points to 8th. Additionally, the team that often faltered against strong opponents managed to defeat the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Houston Rockets (twice).
Following a 127-113 victory over Cleveland on March 31, where the Lakers outscored the Cavs 78-49 in the second and third quarters to avenge a previous 30-point defeat, Doncic was inquired about the season’s turnaround.
“The run we’ve been on,” Doncic stated, “it means a lot. We got to just keep playing.”
However, just 48 hours later, everything changed.
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A TORNADO WATCH and a storm that illuminated the sky with lightning and unleashed over an inch of rain on Oklahoma City foreshadowed the Lakers’ matchup against the Thunder on April 2.
This marked the first encounter between L.A. and the defending champions since November 12, when the Thunder triumphed 121-92.
In that earlier game, the Lakers were without James, who was sidelined due to a sciatica injury that had kept him out for the first month of the season, while the Thunder missed Jalen Williams, who was recovering from offseason wrist surgery.
Five months later, this matchup was anticipated to be different, with both teams at full strength and the Thunder equally hot, having won 15 of their last 16 games.
This was seen as an opportunity for the Lakers to validate their rise and highlight the individual duel between Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with MVP considerations potentially at stake.
Instead, what was expected to be a showcase between two of the NBA’s elite teams quickly turned into a rout.
The Thunder jumped to an 18-4 lead within minutes and held an 82-51 advantage by halftime. Reaves tweaked his left side while attempting to secure a long rebound in the first quarter but continued to play.
The second half proved even more challenging for the Lakers, with Doncic exiting midway through the third quarter after grabbing his left hamstring and collapsing in distress.
Post-game, the Lakers began mentally preparing for a period without Doncic, sources informed ESPN. His left hamstring had previously caused him to miss four games leading up to the All-Star break, and it is an injury known for its high likelihood of re-injury.
An MRI was scheduled for the following day in Dallas, which confirmed a Grade 2 strain.
This was certainly a setback, but not a definitive blow.
The Lakers remained in 3rd place in the West with five regular-season games left — and two of those opponents, the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz, were focused on their draft lottery prospects rather than winning.
Reaves’ left side continued to trouble him, prompting the team to arrange an MRI for him as well. Initially, it was believed he might miss only a game or two and return before the end of the regular season, according to team sources.
Meanwhile, there was disappointment within the team regarding Marcus Smart’s inability to return from a right ankle injury to assist with ballhandling duties, sources told ESPN.
When the Lakers convened for practice at Southern Methodist University the day before the Mavs game, the team recognized that the path to a lengthy playoff run had narrowed. Nonetheless, there was a shared belief that it was still achievable.
Redick indicated he would increase offensive opportunities for center Deandre Ayton and forward Rui Hachimura — a welcome adjustment for them after seeking more shots throughout the season.
Redick also met with Luke Kennard, acquired for his shooting ability in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks at the deadline, to discuss the necessity for him to take on ball-handling responsibilities temporarily.
“We walked through some stuff and I was in some different positions,” Kennard told ESPN. “They were preparing me for what was about to happen.”
James, for his part, remained unfazed by the implications for him personally, sources close to him indicated, as even though he had willingly taken on the role of third option behind Doncic and Reaves during L.A.’s winning streak, he never felt it was due to any decline in his performance. It was simply what the team required at that moment.
“Our job, the rest of these guys and my staff, we’re going after the No. 3 seed and we’re going to try to win a playoff series,” Redick stated after practice on April 4. “And we’ll see what happens with Luka.”
A few hours later, after practice concluded, the team received the results of Reaves’ second MRI after the first was inconclusive: he had sustained a Grade 2 oblique strain and would also be sidelined for four to six weeks, sources informed ESPN.
Suddenly, that narrow path appeared to be closing entirely.
“[After the Reaves news] it’s almost like JJ was like, ‘Do I need to readdress this again with the team now?'” one team source told ESPN.
THE NEXT DAY, the repercussions of the previous two days manifested on the American Airlines court.
L.A. fell behind by as many as 22 points against the Mavs and lost 134-128, despite Dallas having dropped eight of its last nine games.
James was exceptional, scoring 30 points on 12-for-22 shooting, along with 15 assists and nine rebounds. Hachimura attempted 13 field goals, his highest in months, converting nine of them. Kennard, despite shooting 5-for-17, achieved his first career triple-double with 15 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists.
However, the defensive intensity the team had emphasized at SMU, the attitude that had developed significantly throughout the season, was absent, multiple Lakers sources told ESPN. And Dallas, despite lacking motivation, dominated, with lingering tensions between the franchises since the fallout from the Doncic trade.
Two days later, the Lakers faced the Thunder again, this time in Los Angeles. Once more, it was a disappointing performance.
Redick benched Hachimura shortly after the game began and then called a timeout to remove Jarred Vanderbilt just 16 seconds into the second quarter, leading to a heated exchange between the two, with Reaves and Lakers assistant coach Nate McMillan intervening to prevent escalation.
L.A. was trailing by seven at the time of the Vanderbilt incident; the Thunder extended that lead to over 40 in the second half. The loss dropped the Lakers to 0-2 since the injuries, and the Nuggets ascended to 3rd in the West, placing L.A. at risk of losing home-court advantage in the first round if their struggles continued, with a back-to-back series against Golden State and Phoenix approaching.
Before the game against the Warriors, the Lakers convened for a team meeting in their hotel in San Francisco.
Redick began by acknowledging that he had underestimated the emotional impact of the game in Oklahoma City.
“It was important to just address the situation and talk through the situation,” he stated. “And [acknowledge] the belief level with our group during that six-week stretch. Now we’ve got to figure out how to get this group — and that’s players, coaches, that’s all of us — to believe at a high level again.”
A team source added: “I think it was a bigger shock to the system than we acknowledged.”
James’ demeanor during the team’s preparation for the Warriors was also noted.
“Just leading the group in the walkthrough, taking it serious and trying to come out and get a win in Golden State, it just kind of reset a tone of like, ‘Hey guys, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but let’s be committed to each other,” a source at the meeting told ESPN. “‘Let’s be committed to the process.’
Then they did.
THE LAKERS BEAT the Warriors 119-103 on April 9. They followed that with a decisive 101-73 victory over the Suns the next night. They concluded the regular season with a 131-107 win against Utah last Sunday.
Their final 3-0 stretch resulted in a 53-29 record — three more wins than they achieved last season.
James was named Western Conference Player of the Week, averaging 24.0 points, 9.7 assists, and 6.0 rebounds after the injuries to Doncic and Reaves.
Remarkably, from April 3-12, the Lakers actually improved in several metrics compared to their performance during the hot streak. Their defense became even more robust, and their team 3-point shooting percentage rose from 37.6% to 41.2%.
The Lakers, at least for the moment, have found stability.
They will commence their first-round series as the Western Conference’s No. 4 seed, facing the No. 5-seeded Houston Rockets in Game 1 on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).
As they prepare for this matchup, sources informed ESPN that they do not expect to have either Doncic or Reaves available at any point during the first round. However, they have not entirely dismissed the possibility of one or both becoming available as the series progresses.
“We have been on hikes all season long, gotten lost in the woods and nobody thinks we’re going to be rescued,” Redick stated. “And we find a path and we get back to the meadow and find civilization, and we’re going to be OK. That’s what our group is. I think we’ve all just embraced that, and we just have to find it now with this group.”
