"League in shambles rn" - NBA fans stunned as shorthanded Lakers shock Pacers despite missing Luka Doncic & LeBron James

What was supposed to be a nationally televised game showcasing Luka Dončić’s LA Lakers debut alongside LeBron James turned into a shocker Saturday night. Both Dončić and James were ruled out of the game against the Indiana Pacers before tipoff, leaving Austin Reaves to lead a shorthanded Lakers squad.

LA went on to defeat the Pacers, thanks to a heroic effort from Reaves, sparking an eruption among fans on social media.

"LFG THE LEAGUE IS IN SHAMBLES RN," fan said.

"WHAT A BIG WIN," one fan commented. "Reaves killed it. Go Lakers!"

"They said Dallas was in a better position to win now," another fan added, poking fun at Doncic's former team.

Fans continued to rave about Austin Reaves’ performance against the Pacers.

"Reaves is him," a fan commented.

"Austin F**king Reaves," another fan added.

"AR15," a third fan exclaimed.

Austin Reaves leads Lakers to win over Pacers

Austin Reaves spearheaded a 124-117 Lakers victory in the absence of LeBron James and Luka Doncic. He scored a career-high 45 points on 14-for-26 shooting, connecting on four of his nine 3-point attempts.

He also dished out a team-high seven assists while adding seven rebounds and three steals. Rui Hachimura stepped up as well, scoring 24 points on 8-for-13 shooting with nine rebounds. LA tightened up defensively, holding Indiana to just 31.6% shooting from beyond the arc on 38 attempts.

With the win, the Lakers improved to 31-19 through 50 games. They also overtook the Houston Rockets, who suffered a 116-105 loss to the Mavericks, for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.

Reaves and the Lakers will be back in action on Monday after a day off on Sunday. Both LeBron James and Luka Doncic are expected to suit up against the Utah Jazz, as they look to extend their win streak. Saturday's victory marked five consecutive wins for the Lakers, going 11-3 over their last 14 games.