‘They told me to go play, so I go play.’ Austin Reaves can carry the Lakers when asked

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Lakers guard Austin Reaves, right, drives past Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray during the first half of Friday’s game. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

Inside a locker room, geography matters and Friday night in Denver, Austin Reaves was in the big seat.

Using the space typically assigned to LeBron James inside the Nuggets’ visiting locker room, Reaves sat closest to the showers, players passing him on their way in and out after they’d fumbled a chance to stun Denver.

Cam Reddish, Christian Koloko, Jordan Goodwin — each one passed by the space only to briefly stop and get a quick word of encouragement from the lone Lakers starter who played Friday night.

It was, again, not hard to imagine for a team that was fully under Reaves’ watch, the unquestioned third member of the Lakers’ big three who nearly carried his team minus James and Luka Doncic to a win in Denver on the second night of a back-to-back minus 60% of its 10-man rotation.

Read more: Austin Reaves’ 37-point effort not enough as Lakers fall to Denver in wild finish

But his 37 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and four steals weren’t enough — numbers so unique that they’ve only been accomplished seven other times, joining Doncic, James, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Pete Maravich, Bernard King and Kenny Anderson as the only players to have done it.

Earlier this year, minus James and Doncic, Reaves scored 45 points with seven rebounds and seven assists, numbers equaled only 25 times in Lakers history by a list of the organization’s greats. Elgin Baylor did it 10 times. Kobe Bryant did it six. Jerry West had at least 45-7-7 four times. Magic Johnson did it once. And then there’s Reaves.

“Looks weird when you see my name up there,” Reaves said after that game against the Pacers.

Maybe it’s time to stop being so surprised.

For what it’s worth, Reaves isn’t that shocked, a player confident enough to tell people around him that he was going to matter for the Lakers as an undrafted rookie on a two-way contract after one day of minicamp.

“I’ve weirdly been confident for a long time,” Reaves said Friday night, his feet and ankles…

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Publish date : 2025-03-15 14:54:00

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