The Lakers challenge the defending champion! Doncic is in hot form and teams up with Reeves to strive for an upset in the away game

As the defending champion, the Thunder started the new season in hot form. In the absence of Jaylen Williams, they won an 8-game winning streak. After their winning streak was ended by the Trail Blazers, they defeated the Kings, Grizzlies and Warriors to win 3 consecutive games. This time they were playing back-to-back games, but the previous game did not consume much. The victory was established after three quarters against the Warriors. Alexander scored 28 points and 11 assists in three quarters. The Thunder currently have a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, ranking first in the league.

The Thunder have shown strong strength and have always occupied the first position in the strength list. Their performance on both ends of the offense and defense is very strong, averaging 108.3 points per game, which is the fewest in the league. In terms of star quality, Alexander averaged 32.8 points and 6.4 assists per game. When Jaylen Williams is unable to play, Mitchell, Joe and Wiggins can all provide firepower support. Holmgren has also become more stable here, averaging 19.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, with a shooting percentage of nearly 60%.

The Lakers are also in a hot state recently. They have won 6 of the past 7 games, but they only lost an upset to the Hawks. In the last game against the Hornets, the team also won easily. Doncic scored 38 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists, Reeves had 24 points and 7 assists, Hachimura also had 21 points, and Smart had 7 steals. The Lakers currently have a record of 8 wins and 3 losses, ranking fourth in the Western Conference.

In the absence of James, Doncic and Reeves shoulder the offensive responsibility. According to statistics, when they are on the court this season, the offensive efficiency value is as high as 124.6, which is the highest in NBA history. Doncic is currently averaging 37.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game, while Reeves is averaging 30.3 points and 9 assists. The offensive firepower is still very strong. The Lakers' offensive efficiency is very high this season, ranking first in the league in field goal percentage of 51.2%, and this is despite only 33.9% of three-point shooting.

This is the first meeting between the two teams this season. In the three meetings last season, the Thunder had the upper hand with 2 wins and 1 loss. This time the Thunder are playing back-to-back games, and Doncic and Reeves are in such hot form that they have a chance to achieve an upset.