Tonight, the Lakers reignited their momentum as franchise superstar Luka Doncic shone brightly in his return, delivering an impressive 44 points and 12 rebounds against the Memphis Grizzlies on the opening night of the NBA Cup, securing an 117-112 victory. Co-star Austin Reaves continued his strong performance, stepping up alongside Doncic to set the tone for both his returning teammate and the team’s identity under JJ Redick. In the postgame interview, Reaves spoke about Doncic’s impactful 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 think he’s just playing the right way, and then obviously I’m taking over the game. He’s done it a million times and he’s really good at basketball for, you know, some reason, so he’s got the capability to put the team on his back and he kind of did that tonight.” His words carried respect and mutual trust, a product of Doncic‘s first full offseason with the team.

When asked about what fueled their halftime surge, Reaves credited Lakers head coach JJ Redick. “JJ came in and told us he wasn’t about to lose his mind on us, even though he wanted to, and then we just needed to play hard,” he said, half-joking.

“So, we tried to come out with a little more energy in the third quarter. You know, it’s a late game. Everybody is almost back in LA already because we’re going back tonight, so it was good. The third quarter was what we needed, and it was big for us to cut it to, I think, start the fourth.” His blunt message sparked a new level of energy in the Lakers as they entered the third quarter.

The coach himself admitted, “I didn’t raise my voice, at least I don’t think I did, but it wasn’t clean. Not safe for work. But the—if I had to summarize it, we didn’t start the game playing hard…  So we challenged them at halftime, and just like watching two different teams… It just was like we’re like zombies.”

The Lakers started the second half of the game with a 14-point deficit, as Memphis managed to go on a 27-4 run during the second quarter, taking a 69-55 lead. However, Doncic took over in the second half, scoring 21 of his 44 points and dropping the exclamation point three to seal control of the game.

Austin Reaves Gets Candid About NBA Cup Motivation

Austin Reaves didn’t hold back when asked about what excites him most about the NBA Cup. “Yeah, I think it’s just, you know, it adds another element of competition,” he said with a grin after the Lakers’ win.

“You obviously want to win every game, but you’d be lying if you said you wasn’t thinking about the money.” That honesty landed immediately, and was a refreshing admission: even the league’s most competitive players have practical motivations on their mind.

Reaves also added that the financial incentive isn’t just about the stars. “Help out the coaching staff and everybody in,” he added. “Cause they get a piece of all that as well.” It was a grounded moment that showed the team-first mindset that the Lakers have cultivated. For him, the Cup’s stakes go beyond individual gain, and help the entire locker room share the reward.

Still, Reaves made sure to circle back to what matters most: the game. “Just try to come out here and put our best foot forward and get a win,” he said. Now, the Lakers look forward to their next NBA Cup matchup against the Pelicans on 14th November and the Clippers on 26th November.

Even LeBron James has acknowledged the financial incentive that comes with the NBA Cup, though he’s always framed it as more about competition and camaraderie than just the cash prize. In the inaugural tournament, which the Lakers won, each player received $500,000, a substantial sum for many on the roster.

LeBron’s leadership shone through in how he approached that moment. According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, James made a promise before the championship game: “This is for you [Alex] Fudge. This is for you for D’Moi [Hodge]. This is for everybody,” Alex Fudge, a Lakers forward on a two-way contract, reflected on what that gesture meant.

“Just knowing that he is thinking about us is a blessing,” Fudge said. “Not too many people are like that. That just says who LeBron is.”

LeBron ensured that the younger, two-way players received their share of the prize money- a life-changing bonus for teammates earning a fraction of what stars like him make.

And while the NBA Cup prize has since risen to $530,933 per player, LeBron’s example highlighted that the tournament is about more than money- it’s about bringing everyone on the roster along for the ride.