A sublime Austin Reaves makes us forget about Luka Doncic

Austin Reaves appeared before the media on Sunday with soaked hair, still celebrating his second post-game "water shower" following a historic performance. The Los Angeles Lakers had defeated the Sacramento Kings 127-120, and the shooting guard had the best game of his career with 51 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists, on a night where neither LeBron James nor Luka Doncic were available.

He had experienced a similar celebration as a rookie when he made a game-winning three-pointer in Dallas, which opened the doors to the NBA after not being selected in the draft. This time, the teammates' shower confirmed that the Lakers still have a star capable of leading the team in difficult moments.

“On a night without Luka, without Bron, without Jaxson [Hayes], you know you have to step up,” explained Reaves. “I wasn’t thinking about scoring 50 points, just about doing everything possible to help the team win.”

Although he wasn’t chasing numbers, his teammates were clear about it. Doncic, sidelined due to a finger sprain and a leg contusion, sent him a message before the game asking him to reach 60 points. Jarred Vanderbilt also joked with him on the bus to the arena: “I told AR that we needed 50 from him tonight,” he recalled with laughter.

The circumstances weren’t easy. James is still recovering from sciatica and didn’t travel with the team. Hayes remained out due to knee discomfort, and Gabe Vincent injured his ankle during the game, leaving with a protective boot although X-rays were negative.

Nevertheless, the Lakers dominated the game from start to finish. Reaves was consistent: seven points in the first quarter, 14 in the second, 15 in the third, and another 15 in the final quarter, becoming the twelfth player in franchise history to reach 50 points.

His accuracy was remarkable: 12 of 22 from the field, 6 of 10 from beyond the arc, and 21 of 22 from the free-throw line. With his fourth three-pointer, he surpassed 500 in his career, ranking ninth in the Lakers' historical list. Additionally, he became only the eighth player on the team to score at least 20 free throws in a game.

Luka Doncic's Words

Coach JJ Redick valued the victory beyond the individual exhibition: “It’s important for this group to know that a game can be won without LeBron and without Luka.”

Reaves not only scored; he also involved his teammates in the game. Deandre Ayton had his best performance as a Laker with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Rui Hachimura added 18 with an impressive 7 of 10 shooting, Marcus Smart contributed 11 as a starter, and Jake LaRavia another 11 off the bench. “This team plays with intensity no matter who’s on the court,” highlighted Ayton.

The tensest moment of the night came at the end, when Reaves went to the free-throw line with 49 points and 23 seconds left. He knew that Doncic wouldn’t forgive him if he missed, especially after teasing him on social media for staying at 49 points against Minnesota a few days ago.

“I’m not gonna lie, I thought, ‘I better not miss now,’” confessed Reaves. He didn’t miss. He made both shots, completed his magical night, and showed that the Lakers can survive—at least for one night—without their two big stars.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Un sublime Austin Reaves hace olvidar a Luka Doncic