Novig prices
Lakers Grades: Reaves Earns A+ With 43 as Lakers Win in Detroit Without Doncic
Austin Reaves scored 43 and Walker Kessler grabbed 16 rebounds as the Lakers beat Detroit 121-116 without Luka Doncic. Next up: Atlanta on Monday.
The Los Angeles Lakers went into Detroit on Sunday without the league's leading scorer and still came out with a 121-116 win, their fifth straight, behind a season-high 43 points from Austin Reaves. Luka Doncic was ruled out about five hours before tipoff with low back tightness, Yahoo Sports reported, so Reaves took on the whole offense and handled it.
In his player grades for SB Nation's Silver Screen and Roll, Jacob Rude gave Reaves an A+ and called the night "everything you needed from your nearly max player" with Doncic out. Reaves made 14 of 27 shots, 4 of 6 from three and all 11 of his free throws, and finished plus-21 in 36 minutes against steady ball pressure. ESPN noted that he capped the night by copying one of Doncic's signature moves on a late 3-pointer.
The supporting cast decided the game as well. Walker Kessler earned an A with 12 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, and seven of those rebounds came on the offensive glass. Ziaire Williams also got an A for 17 points on 4-of-8 shooting from deep, including the fourth-quarter baskets that kept Detroit back. Jarred Vanderbilt had fallen out of the rotation, but he grabbed 10 rebounds in 13 minutes and earned an A-. Collin Sexton added 17 points. The weaker marks went to Matisse Thybulle, who got a C- and has hit one of his last nine threes, and Sandro Mamukelashvili, who faded after a quick start. Coach JJ Redick got an A for having the team ready from the opening tip.
That fast start mattered. BVM Sports reported that Los Angeles led by as many as 26 before Detroit came back, and that the win ended a four-game losing streak against the Pistons.
What it means for Atlanta
The Lakers are 9-2 and haven't lost since falling 112-95 at Golden State. During the five-game run they've scored at least 116 points every night and averaged 126. They're 4-1 on the road. Monday's game in Atlanta is the second night of a back-to-back, and the Hawks come in rested. Sports Mole reported that Doncic had no confirmed status for the game. Rude also flagged Adou Thiero, who is easing back from a knee injury, as someone to watch.
Across the 12 venues on this site's board, Los Angeles is a narrow favorite. Novig has the Lakers at -115 on the moneyline and -1.5 on the spread at -106. Atlanta is +111 on Novig, and DraftKings has the best Hawks price at +119, an 8-cent gap. The spread is spread out more widely: BetRivers lists Atlanta at +3.5, priced at -136. Novig has the total at 236.5, while DraftKings sits a point lower and BetRivers a point higher. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline ranges from 2.9% to 5.1%.
The tight prices reflect the open question in Atlanta. If Doncic is back, the Lakers add a scorer to a group that just won a road game without him. If he isn't, they'll need Reaves to carry the load again on tired legs.