Do the Lakers legitimately have two MVP candidates? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
In this young NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers have looked like one of the premier teams not just in the Western Conference, but in the league as a whole.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThere are many factors that go into the Lakers’ strong start to the season. First, seemingly every FA signing they signed this summer has been a hit.
Deandre Ayton is playing like a rejuvenated version of the player who was once a first overall pick, averaging 15.6 PPG and 8.4 RPG on 70.7% FG (2nd in NBA). Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia have also been great additions, contributing wherever needed on both ends of the court.
It doesn’t hurt that JJ Redick has also been in his bag this season. The Lakers' head coach has done some fantastic work despite injuries to key players as well as streaky shooting from a team riddled with shooters.
More: The numbers say JJ Redick is the Coach of the Year so far
Despite all that good the Lakers have been enjoying. FA signings and high-level coaching is far from the reason they’re one of the best teams in the league right now.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMuch of it has to do with the two current Lakers stars, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. They’ve been playing so well together that they’re starting to catch attention league-wide.
Dončić and Reaves both top-5 in MVP race
Now with nearly a 20-game sample size, we’re a bit past not being able to take stats or player storylines seriously if they’ve been consistent.
Most, if not all, of Laker Nation expected Luka Dončić to look exactly like an MVP candidate as he has for most of his career. Even though Reaves is a heavy fan favorite with high expectations, I don’t think anyone expected this year out of him.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDončić is averaging an incredibly impressive 35.1 PPG (2nd in NBA), 9.4 APG (2nd in NBA), and 8.5 RPG. Reaves is averaging 28.5 PPG (11th in NBA), 6.7 APG (14th), and 5.9 RPG.
Reaves' numbers are even encroaching upon Kobe Bryant territory.
More: Austin Reaves’ early career eerily mirroring Kobe Bryant
The Lakers' backcourt has been consistently fantastic this season, and as mentioned, they are beginning to draw some attention to themselves.
In Basketball Reference’s NBA MVP award tracker, it had not one, but two Lakers within the top five. They currently have
Austin Reaves is probably unlikely to win an NBA MVP award, but if he and Dončić keep playing the way they have been, don’t be surprised to see two NBA All-Stars and possibly two All-NBA selections.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe duo of Dončić and Reaves has captured buckets and the hearts of fans with their budding bromance this season. Who knows, maybe one of them will capture an MVP award.
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