Austin Reaves exploded for a season-high 43 points (14-of-27 FGs, 11-of-11 FTs), five rebounds and four assists over 37 minutes to power the Lakers to a 121-116 win over the Pistons on Sunday.

No Luka Dončić, no problem. Reaves picked up the slack from a creation standpoint with the current MVP frontrunner sidelined by a back issue in this one. Dončić entered the contest averaging a league-best 40.1 points per game, leaving a significant void for the Lakers to fill. It wasn’t an issue for Reaves, who embraced the expanded offensive responsibilities, repeatedly getting to his spots and making Detroit pay in one-on-one situations from the mid-range. He poured in a team-high 19 first-half points to give Los Angeles a 13-point advantage at the break before tacking on 12 more in the third quarter alone. He drilled a crowd-silencing stepback three-pointer to give Los Angeles an eight-point lead in the final minute. It’s abundantly clear that his fantasy appeal rises exponentially whenever Dončić is out of the lineup. The Lakers continue their current road trip with a three-game week that includes showdowns against the Hawks, Bucks and Suns.