Lakers' Austin Reaves must follow Nuggets' $207M blueprint to thrive in playoffs with Luka Doncic

The Los Angeles Lakers are wrapping up the regular season and have been playing some of their best basketball as of late. However, a few minor adjustments could still be made, such as having LeBron James run with the second unit.

“The way Redick could format things is to have the team roll out its typical starting five, then have LeBron be the first player to sub out around the four-minute mark. From then on, when the second unit starts checking in, LeBron would come back in and share the court with the likes of Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, Luke Kennard, and Jaxson Hayes. This second unit lacks playmaking and a consistent decision-maker, which is where LeBron could help take the group to the next level,” Lake Show Life’s Chris Lambert wrote.

With the playoffs looming, it will be interesting to see how the Lakers adjust. If they want to be truly successful, they may need to take a page out of the Denver Nuggets’ playbook.

“In other words — when Reaves and LeBron are on the court without Luka, can AR15 be the lead scoring option? Perhaps more importantly, when all three are on the court, are Luka and LeBron willing to step aside and let Reaves cook? That could be what stands between Reaves and a playoff takeover. In Denver, the hierarchy in the playoffs was never a problem; Michael Porter Jr. was a great third option, but was also willing to concede shots to Murray when he caught fire,” Lake Show Life’s Quinn Everts wrote. “There is never any question of how involved Murray will be in the Nuggets' playoff plans, and that freedom to cook definitely plays a part in his continued success in big moments. Making sure Reaves has that freedom, especially in the slowed-down, drawn out atmosphere of the playoffs, could be the key to a deeper run next month.”

The Lakers are beginning to figure out how to manage their big three, but Austin Reaves will need the ball in his hands during the playoffs. Giving him the same freedom that Jamal Murray has in Denver makes a lot of sense.

The Lakers will also have “playoff Luka” in full effect, and if Reaves can emerge as that second go-to option, it could be a dangerous combination. All of this would come with LeBron James serving as the third option—arguably the best third option in the NBA.

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