No one is playing hotter basketball than Austin Reaves. The Los Angeles Lakers guard has carried the Purple and Gold to start the season, with LeBron James sidelined and Luka Doncic recently

Few players, if any, have raised their profile higher in the early goings of the 2025-26 NBA season than Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves.

Austin Reaves’ career has been defined by him stepping up to the challenge. His path from undrafted rookie to Lakers superstar has been a steady upward climb, something not always common in the NBA. Each season, he’s been asked to take on a bigger role and each season, he’s answered the bell.

Austin Reaves' play to start this season could give the Lakers a better post-LeBron James future than people previously could've imagined.

With Luka Doncic and LeBron James out injured, not to mention guards Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent, it’s felt a little like Austin Reaves against the world when watching the Lakers’ offense. Other teams are loading up on him and pressuring him all over the court, and that is taking a physical toll.

Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones check in on a few Western conference teams such as the Lakers, Rockets and Thunder, then have some fun as they bounce around the league.

Austin Reaves is having a week. Refusing to rest on a career-high 51 points in a win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, and his 41-point performance vs the Portland Trail Blazers one day later,