The Los Angeles Lakers' perfect start to the 2026-27 NBA season wasn't enough for Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves to claim the season's first Western Conference Player of the Week award. The NBA announced Monday that Memphis Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome won the honor, edging out the Lakers' high-scoring backcourt despite their 3-0 record. Doncic dropped 52 points in the Lakers' last game, a 132-123 win over the Utah Jazz on October 25, but Jerome's scoring explosion proved unbeatable.
Luka Doncic made a powerful case. His 52-point, 10-assist, eight-rebound performance against Utah was the NBA's first 50-point game this season. Over the Lakers' first three contests, he averaged 34.3 points, 8.0 assists, and 7.3 rebounds. Austin Reaves was just as efficient, shooting an incredible 63.9% from the field and 61.5% from three-point range. He averaged 26.7 points and 6.3 assists. Together, they powered the Lakers to wins over the Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers, and Utah Jazz. Yet, Ty Jerome's numbers for the also-undefeated Grizzlies were slightly better. He led the league with 34.7 points per game on 56.3% shooting, opening with a 45-point career-high.
The Lakers are on a 3-game winning run, one of the last unbeaten teams in the West. Their recent form reads 3W-0L, with victories coming in impressive fashion. They opened with a 127-105 rout of the Golden State Warriors on October 21, then beat the LA Clippers 125-117 two days later. The latest win was that 132-123 result against the Jazz, where Doncic took over. This hot start has been fueled by one of the league's most potent offensive duos. Doncic is the clear centerpiece, but Reaves' scoring efficiency has been a perfect complement. Their combined 61 points per game is a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Attention now turns to maintaining this momentum. The Lakers' next fixture is at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 27. It's a chance to push their record to 4-0 before the schedule gets tougher. The team will look to its stars to keep producing at an elite level. While the individual award went elsewhere, the Lakers' collective success is the primary focus. Beating Portland would send another strong message to the Western Conference.
Ty Jerome deservedly earned the weekly honor. But the early story in Los Angeles is about a team firing on all cylinders. Doncic and Reaves have immediately shown they are among the NBA's most dangerous partnerships. Their scoring punch gives the Lakers a high floor every night. If they continue at this rate, both players will likely find themselves in the Player of the Week conversation again very soon. The key is turning those individual performances into more wins.
