Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Cup, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Clippers, Lakers advance NBA Cup
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The Los Angeles Lakers saw its star trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves combine for 99 points in their recent NBA Cup win.
The Los Angeles Lakers officially have their superstar trio back together, and so far, the impact of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves has been easy to see.
Most recently, the Lakers beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA Cup to win their third straight game after James returned from injury. But perhaps most importantly, the team has now clinched its spot in the next round of the In-Season Tournament.
“The@Lakersare the first Western Conference team to advance to the Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Rounds after winning West Group B,”NBA PR wrote in a post on X.
NBA Communications
The @Lakers are the first Western Conference team to advance to the Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Rounds after winning West Group B.
With the Lakers and Raptors into the Quarterfinals, six spots remain up for grabs as Group Play continues Wednesday and concludes Friday.
With the victory, the Lakers are the only team in Group B to go undefeated, and one of five teams yet to lose in the opening round of the tournament. The Toronto Raptors are the only other team so far that has clinched a spot in the knockout round.
LeBron, Luka, and Reaves Once Again Led The Way
Unsurprisingly, it was theLakers’ star trio that led the way for their win over the rival Clippers on Tuesday night. Specifically for the Slovenian, as he scored a season-high 24 points in the first quarter.Heended the game with 43 points,nine rebounds, and 13 assists,while playing a game-high 43 minutes.
James had a slow start scoring-wise,butended up with a season-high 23 pointsalong with six rebounds and six assists. Though only his third game back from sciatica, James has seemingly picked up where he left off last season, despite beingat age 40. Additionally, Reaves dropped 31 points, nine rebounds, and three assistson 11/16 shooting, his highest percentage of the early season.
Bleacher Report
LAKESHOW WAS IN FULL EFFECT TONIGHT 🤩
LUKA: 43 PTS, 9 REB, 13 AST REAVES: 31 PTS, 9 REB LEBRON: 25 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST
“TheClippers’ big three of Leonard, Harden and Zubac was outscored by theLakers’ big three, 99-58,”Law Murray wrote for The Athletic. “While Dončić, James and Reaves all made at least half of their field-goal attempts, theClippers’ star trio was held under 50 percent.”
In an elevated role due to the Deandre Ayton injury, Jaxson Hayes also stepped up as theLakers’ center.Though the statsweren’t eye-popping, he played 30 minutes and held opposing big man Zubac to justten points.
The Lakers and Clippers are obviously at different points of the NBA landscape, with one team quickly on the rise and the otherquickly on the fall. Though James, Doncic, and Reaves are still finding a groove together, and though the Clippershaven’t really excelled in any area this season, the on-court difference between the two sides wasclear.
Lakers Standing In The NBA Cup
Per the NBA, the Lakers are now the second team to advance to the knockout round of the In-Season Tournament, and the first Western Conference team to win their group. They got there by beating the Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, and most recently, the Clippers. They still have an upcoming game against the Dallas Mavericks, but with their 3-0 record at +36 differential, that gamewon’t affect their status moving on to the next round.
There are a few other undefeated teams in NBA Cup play, but many have only played just two contests, and more Cup games will take place on Wednesday. But so far, the Raptors, Lakers, and yet-to-clinch Orlando Magic are the only squads to start 3-0.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Phoenix Suns are all 2-0 and have the chance to stamp their place in the knockout round, while the 2-1 Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, and Clippers each still have a chance to advance from their respective groups.
But so far,it’s hard to deny the Lakers,both in the regular season and the NBA Cup. They have scored the third-most points in the tournament and have the sixth-highest point differential, anumber that becomes a tie-breaker in this relatively new venture by the league.
Rounding out theLakers’ news, theymost recently got a positive update on Ayton, who hasbeen sidelined with arecent knee injury. The future of James remains in question, but for now,he’s come in immediately and helped Los Angeles continue their strong start to the season.