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HOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 18: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers have the NBA’s most productive offense and one of its best records. Kenny Smith believes their early-season performance deserves an even bigger distinction.
The two-time NBA champion and television analyst considers Los Angeles the league’s best team through the opening weeks of the 2026-27 season, citing the scoring partnership between Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
“The Lakers are playing probably the most exciting basketball in the NBA,” Smith said on “NBA Today” on Friday. “Maybe not always the best right now. There’s teams that are playing at that level, but they’re playing the most exciting basketball.”
Smith then explained how he measures teams.
“I usually judge teams on 15-game blocks,” he said. “So, in this first 15 games, they are the best team to me in the NBA.”
The Lakers entered Sunday’s game against Phoenix at 11-2, riding a seven-game winning streak.
But the advanced numbers tell a more complicated story.
Kenny Smith’s Lakers Assessment Gets Support From NBA Rankings
Los Angeles leads the NBA in offensive rating at 121.6 points per 100 possessions, according to the league’s advanced stats.
The Lakers also rank first in scoring at 122.2 points per game.
Doncic and Reaves have been central to that production, giving coach JJ Redick two creators capable of controlling games.
“Luka and Austin have been the most prolific scorers in the league, the toughest two guys to guard so far in the early part of this season,” Smith said.
Yet Los Angeles ranks just 18th in defensive rating at 113.6 and sixth in net rating at plus-8.0.
That gap illustrates the difference between having the league’s most effective offense and being its most complete team.
The Lakers have overwhelmed opponents with scoring, but their defense hasn’t consistently matched that standard.
Still, Smith believes their early success deserves recognition.
L.A. Faces Questions Despite Best-in-NBA Offensive Rating
When fellow analyst Chiney Ogwumike questioned whether Los Angeles could sustain its success, Smith acknowledged that injuries across the Western Conference have affected the competition.
“The West has changed with, you know, with OKC, the injuries,” Smith said.
He also identified San Antonio as another leading contender.
The Spurs have been particularly impressive by net rating, giving them a statistical argument against Smith’s assessment of Los Angeles.
For the Lakers, improving defensively remains the clearest path toward establishing themselves as championship contenders.
Redick has emphasized defensive rebounding, transition defense and limiting turnovers during the team’s recent practice sessions.
The Lakers also face an immediate challenge without Reaves, who was ruled out of Sunday’s game against Phoenix because of a left heel injury.
Quentin Grimes has been cleared to return, offering another perimeter defender alongside Doncic.
Smith’s comments reflect how quickly the conversation around the Lakers has changed.
They entered the season facing questions about their depth and defensive consistency. Thirteen games later, they’re winning at an elite rate and leading the league offensively.
The numbers don’t settle the argument over the NBA’s best team.
But they explain why Smith has placed the Lakers at the center of it.
Alder Almo is a veteran NBA reporter for Heavy.com, covering the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. He brings over 20 years of experience across local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Originally from the Philippines, he is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo