HOUSTON — As Austin Reaves was ramping up to make his eventual return to the court from a strained left oblique, Lakers coach JJ Redick was asked: How would the team manage Reaves’ role after Luke Kennard’s emergence in the playoffs?
“We’ll cross that bridge when it happens,” Redick responded ahead of the Lakers’ Game 3 win over the Rockets.
Well, with Reaves returning in the Lakers’ Game 5 loss to the Rockets on Wednesday, it’s time to cross the bridge.
Because the Lakers’ best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Rockets made it clear they need all the offensive help they can get, especially with star guard Luka Doncic remaining sidelined because of his left hamstring strain.
Enter Reaves and Kennard, the former who had an All-Star-caliber season and the latter who showcased the depth of his offensive skill set while Doncic and Reaves were both sidelined.
The problem for the Lakers: They’ve yet to find the formula that maximizes Reaves and Kennard while on the floor together.
The Lakers were minus-2 in the 17 minutes when Reaves and Kennard were on the court at the same time in Game 5.
For the regular season, the Lakers had a minus-5.8 net rating when Reaves and Kennard shared the floor — with their high-level offense being masked by putrid defensive play.
The Lakers were even worse when Reaves and Kennard shared the floor without Doncic, recording a minus-15.2 net rating, albeit in a small sample of 273 possessions.
The Lakers’ struggles during those situations shouldn’t be a surprise.
But the Lakers need the pairing to find synergy if the team wants to achieve its goal of extending its season long enough for Doncic to return.
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The Lakers found success with Reaves operating on the ball while Kennard ran off off-ball screens weakside, helping create driving lanes for Reaves or opportunities for a drive and kick from Reaves to Kennard.
The defensive shortcomings are more digestible if the offense is firing on all cylinders — which the Lakers are in desperate need of.
They need Reaves’ ball handling, pick-and-roll chops, playmaking and pull-up shooting.
Just like they need Kennard’s movement shooting, off-ball gravity, screening and his ability to attack closeouts.
Kennard was a difference-maker to start the series against the Rockets, combining for 50 points on 65% shooting to lead the Lakers’ offense.
But when he cooled off, so did the Lakers, with Kennard combining for 22 points on 29% shooting in Games 3-5, with the Lakers’ offense — and Kennard — being less productive and efficient offensively with each game.
And with Kennard playing at least 31 minutes in each of the Lakers’ first five playoff games against the Rockets entering Friday’s Game 6, phasing him out of the rotation isn’t a great option.
Especially with how important he is to the offense and creating havoc for defenses while Doncic is sidelined.
Reaves’ return provides some solutions. But it doesn’t solve all of the problems about the Lakers’ offensive concerns without Doncic.
They need Reaves and Kennard to be in a rhythm to have a shot to play deeper in May.
