Tonight, the Los Angeles Lakers got their spark back. Franchise superstar Luka Doncic dazzled in his return, dropping 44 points and 12 rebounds on the Memphis Grizzlies on the first night of the NBA Cup to secure a 117-112 win. Austin Reaves maintained his strong production, stepping up alongside Doncic to set the tone, both for his returning co-star and the team’s identity under JJ Redick. In the postgame conference, Reaves talked about Doncic’s return.

“ I think it’s full of hate ,” Reaves joked with a grin when asked about Luka Doncic’s comeback. “ I was very happy to see him back playing basketball today… this feels very good .” This wasn’t a casual compliment, but Reave’s way of deflecting the tension that had been building around the Lakers’ rotation.

Reaves continued, “ I t

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