Let us savor the LeBron James-Luka Doncic pairing

LeBron James and Luka Doncic sharing the court is the equivalent of Beethoven and Leonard Bernstein composing symphonies together. We weren't supposed to see maestros of two distant generations breathe each other's air, let alone collaborate to leave us in awe.

If you've been paying attention to Lakers games, James and Doncic have built an on-screen chemistry quicker than anyone could have predicted.

In nine games thus far, James has converted on 23 field goals when assisted by Doncic, which equates to nearly three made baskets a night. For context, James made 40 field goals when assisted by Anthony Davis through 42 games earlier in the season.

Doncic has made seven field goals when assisted by James, which doesn't sound like a lot, but it is when you consider his league-worst ratio of unassisted to assisted baskets (178 to 103). The Slovenian prefers to create his offense but finds himself in uncharted territory of playing next to a man with just as high of an IQ.

During Tuesday's 136-115 rout of the Pelicans, James and Doncic combined for 64 points and 21 assists, generating more than 100 points while feeding off each other. Their teammates reaped the rewards, with Jaxson Hayes shooting a perfect 8-of-8 for a season-high 19 points and Jarred Vanderbilt (12 points) enjoying his best game since his injury return. Even Shake Milton found his stroke. 

After the game, Lakers legend James Worthy had an interesting take on James and Doncic's combined IQ level.

"It's like having two Magic Johnsons on the floor," Worthy said of James and Doncic. "As far as how they enhance the game and make everybody else better ... I don't know if there's ever been a combination of two players like these two ... I know LeBron is 40 but I can already see these two together creating a lot more production."

That's high praise from the 1988 NBA Finals MVP, considering Johnson is universally regarded as the greatest floor general ever. It's astounding that the Lakers have two players with Johnson's celestial IQ and acumen, regardless of their 14-year age difference.

ESPN's Alan Hahn has compared the "instant telepathy" between Doncic and James to that of a quarterback and wide receiver. 

"It's as if Luka always knows where LeBron is," Hahn said. "LeBron James once said,  'I'm a great wide receiver.' Luka is a great quarterback and these passes [between the two] are literally like Hail Mary's or long routes for LeBron. He finds him."

James has a player option for the 2025-26 season. He turns 41 in December. There is no guarantee we'll see him and Doncic enthrall us for long. Let us savor it while we can.