"We’ll be a problem"- Austin Reaves expects LA Lakers to cause chaos in the playoffs as LeBron James and Anthony Davis put on a show against Rockets

Austin Reaves believes the LA Lakers will be a handful to deal with, considering how Anthony Davis and LeBron James are playing. The Lakers' superstar duo dominated the Houston Rockets on Sunday as AD went off for 40 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, shooting 15-of-20, while James registered an 18-point triple-double.

The Lakers won 134-109 and improved to 40-38, moving to seventh in the standings. Reaves cut a confident figure after the Lakers breezed past Houston behind Davis and LeBron's performances. Here's what the sophomore guard said after the game (via Spectrum SportsNet):

"He's [Davis] able to set the tone early and carry a team. Obviously, you have talent around him, you got Bron, like I said, talent around that. But when AD comes out and does what AD did tonight... “He’s been phenomenal and you know, if he continues to do this we’ll be a problem.”

Spectrum SportsNet

@SpectrumSN

“He’s been phenomenal and you know, if he continues to do this we’ll be a problem.” Austin Reaves shows AD love for his great play all season and hopes he continues to dominate.

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“He’s been phenomenal and you know, if he continues to do this we’ll be a problem.” Austin Reaves shows AD love for his great play all season and hopes he continues to dominate. https://t.co/kLhEKjdz0f

Davis scored 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting in the first half alone, setting the tone for the Lakers to record an easy win against the Rockets. James played second-fiddle on offense, allowing him to facilitate more and help Davis and the rest of the group get easy looks.

Rui Hachimura tallied 20 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, while Austin Reaves continued to shine in a starting role, finishing with 18 points and nine assists.

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Anthony Davis and LeBron James show flashes of LA Lakers' 2020 bubble championship-level chemistry

Anthony Davis has been instrumental in turning around the LA Lakers' season, which started with a 2-10 record. Davis has averaged 26.6 points, a league-high 12.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. LA is 28-24 when he plays.

Davis has put the Lakers on his back over this final stretch. He kept the team afloat in their hunt to make the playoffs in LeBron James' absence. The Lakers were 29-32 when James went down with a foot tendon injury and improved to 38-38 before his return.

The LA Lakers are 3-1 since LeBron's comeback. They have won their last three in a row. AD and LeBron have shown glimpses of their chemistry from LA's championship-winning 2019-20 season. James has been running point for the team on most possessions, while Davis has been their No. 1 option.

Bleacher Report

@BleacherReport

AD x Bron in win vs. Rockets

Davis: 40 PTS, 9 REB, 15-20 FG
James: 18 PTS, 10 REB, 11 AST

Lakers have won 6 of their last 7

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AD x Bron in win vs. Rockets 😤

Davis: 40 PTS, 9 REB, 15-20 FG
James: 18 PTS, 10 REB, 11 AST

Lakers have won 6 of their last 7 👀 https://t.co/lGvU2Se1Cc

James and Davis have had more freedom and options when running their two-man game, as the defensive attention is not solely on them. The Lakers are thriving with other threats like D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura delivering the goods offensively.

The team has drawn comparisons to the 2020 championship-winning roster, and if they can continue to stretch this winning run, the Lakers could make a surprise push in the playoffs. They are only 0.5 games behind the fifth-placed 41-38 Warriors, against whom they own a tie-breaker and are currently tied in the loss column with.

The LA Lakers are tied for sixth seed with the 40-38 Clippers. The two teams will face each other on Tuesday, April 5th. If the Lakers win, they will enter the top six of the Western Conference standings, while the Clippers will drop into the play-in bracket (seventh to 10th seed).

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