The Los Angeles Lakers sit at 5–2 and look self-sufficient without LeBron James. Luka Doncic posted a 29-11-10 triple-double in a 130-120 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday, his second straight explosive outing after dropping 44 points in his return, a 117-112 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. Austin Reaves has been even louder, posting a career-high 51 points in 127-120 win over the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 26, then 41 the next night in a 122-108 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers while the roster was short-handed. James has been sidelined with sciatica since preseason, as the team has treated his timeline cautiously. In the meantime, the Lakers have built real habits around Doncic and Reaves rather than treading water. In the first four games of the season, Doncic totaled 165 points. Since then he’s layered on a 44-point heater against the Grizzlies and the 29-11-10 against Miami. The numbers aren’t just volume; they’re leverage—possessions end on his terms, and the Lakers’ half-court looks organiz
