Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic Spoil Anthony Davis’s Return to LA
The Los Angeles Lakers came away with a 129-119 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. This extends the Lakers’ win streak to six, as they stand at 14-4 and second in the Western Conference.
It was Anthony Davis’s first time playing against the Lakers in LA since the February trade that sent Luka Doncic to the purple and gold. Davis received cheers from the Lakers crowd before the game, as fans still appreciate his time in LA.
However, it was not Davis’s night, as the Lakers spoiled his return with the victory. Let’s break down how the Lakers came away with their sixth-straight win.
Austin Reaves Puts on a Show
Austin Reaves had his best game of the season on Friday night. Reaves finished with 38 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, shooting 12-15 from the field, 6-8 from three, and 8-9 from the free throw line.
The 27-year-old guard was efficient at every level and carved up the Mavs’ defense. Head coach JJ Redick praised Reaves’ balance between shooting threes and getting into the paint.
“I just think he’s really been in a groove with that balance, particularly late in games,” Redick said.
On the season, Reaves is averaging 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game on 52/35/88 shooting splits. If he keeps it up, Reaves will make it to the All-Star Game for the first time in his career.
THE LAKERS FINISH 4-0 IN NBA CUP GROUP PLAY 🔥
Onto the quarterfinals 😈 https://t.co/LsUXlO1g1u pic.twitter.com/3WjM1HXZ0n
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) November 29, 2025
Luka Doncic Beats The Blitz
Luka Doncic is one of the best players in the league, and it doesn’t matter what coverage a team throws at him.
The Mavs’ defense blitzed Doncic from the jump, but he dismantled it and consistently made the right decision. He found open teammates or split the double team en route to a bucket.
The 26-year-old superstar finished with 35 points, five rebounds, and 11 assists, shooting 10-18 from the field, 4-9 from deep, and 11-11 from the charity stripe.
He is having an MVP-caliber campaign and will look to build on Sunday night against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Deandre Ayton’s Steady Presence
The Lakers couldn’t pass up the opportunity to trade for Doncic, but it left them weak at center for the rest of the 2024-25 season.
In the offseason, LA brought in Deandre Ayton, a former number one overall pick, who hadn’t played as well with the Portland Trail Blazers as he had with the Phoenix Suns.
Many wrote off Ayton as a center with no motor, but he has proven everyone wrong and put together an efficient and steady season. The 27-year-old big man had 17 points, eight rebounds, a steal, and two blocks, shooting 8-9 from the floor.
On the season, Ayton is averaging 15.6 points and 8.4 rebounds, shooting 70.7 percent from the field.
“I’m here to give the Lakers what they’ve been missing for a long time: a big that can put up numbers, anchor the defense, and be a presence on both ends of the floor,” Ayton said.
The Lakers are clicking on all cylinders, and with their 4-0 play in the NBA Cup, they will host the San Antonio Spurs for the quarterfinals on December 10th.
