Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers faced a scare in Sunday’s game against the Orlando Magic, but second-year guard Austin Reaves put forth the best scoring performance of his career to help secure a 111-105 victory at Crypto.com Arena.
Reaves finished with a career-high 35 points in 30 minutes off the bench, and he added six rebounds and six assists in the win. The 24-year-old shot 9-of-14 from the field and lived at the free-throw line, going 16-of-18 from the charity stripe.
The scoring outburst by Reaves helped make up for meager outings from the Lakers’ star players. Point guard D’Angelo Russell finished with 18 points, and star big man Anthony Davis had just 15 points on 6-of-15 shooting, though he added 11 rebounds.
NBA Twitter was blown away by Reaves’ exceptional performance on Sunday:
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Reaves getting “MVP” chants at FT line 😤 pic.twitter.com/RTdN8VtJE1
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
A CAREER NIGHT FOR AUSTIN REAVES LEADS THE LAKERS TO A W 💪 pic.twitter.com/Y7NSPggK9G
Skip Bayless @RealSkipBayless
Who needs Bron when you have “Hillbilly Kobe”? Tonight Austin Reaves had some George Reeves in him. Dare I say he’s … athletic? #BoomerSooner
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Austin Reaves this offseason. AK pic.twitter.com/TigVMhG94V
⁶ @TaIkContext
Austin Reaves in one night
Saved the Los Angeles Lakers season
Saved Anthony Davis’s career
Saved millions & millions of LAL fans mental health
Set a career high in pointsI speak for everyone, thank you AR pic.twitter.com/cyOVpT12Dq
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Final: Lakers 111, Magic 105
A critical win for the Lakers, who improve to 35-37 and move into a tie with Minnesota for No. 9 in the West (MIN has tiebreaker). Austin Reaves scored a career-high 35 points, carrying LA’s offense down the stretch.
Up next: vs. PHX on Wednesday.
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Free throw attempts in March:
Austin Reaves: 77
DeMar DeRozan: 67
James Harden: 58
Trae Young: 53
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Austin Reaves will get paid this summer… Only one player on the Lakers is making less than Reaves ($1.5M) outside of the two-way guys: Max Christie ($1.01M) pic.twitter.com/fFhqDuRFRu
Harrison Faigen @hmfaigen
I know he had the chance for the Pistons to draft him and said no thanks… but it is still absolutely wild to me that Austin Reaves went undrafted or was even in that tier of prospect.
Anthony F. Irwin @AnthonyIrwinLA
Austin Reaves needs to get haircuts before every game and the Lakers will win a ring this year
Brett Siegel @BrettSiegelNBA
Austin Reaves makes some of the toughest shots for and-ones I have ever seen.
Talked about his play with @RyanWardLA this week on The Fast Break Podcast and we are both in agreement: The Lakers must re-sign him long-term!!!
Josiah Johnson @KingJosiah54
Austin Reaves pic.twitter.com/1c58TyEeXn
NBA @NBA
What a finish by Austin Reaves 🤯
He’s got 22 PTS ‼️
Watch live on the NBA App
📺: https://t.co/1pomQZMAZK pic.twitter.com/WgldBuIj6l
The Lakers are trying to make a late push for the playoffs with the regular season winding down, so all hands are on deck to help them achieve their goal. In the absence of star forward LeBron James (foot), players will need to step up to help replace his production.
Reaves filled that role on Sunday, and he will have a major impact on Los Angeles’ postseason push if he continues playing at a high level.
The Lakers (35-37) will look to keep the momentum going when they return to action on Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns (38-33).
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