Austin Reaves' game-winner vs. Wolves proof of his larger position – NBA

Austin Reaves saves the day in Minnesota, the most recent instance of how he has taken flight this season for L.A.
Dave Campbell | The Related Press
Austin Reaves nails a floater on the buzzer to push the Lakers previous the Wolves in an exciting end in Minneapolis.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Austin Reaves had the ball for the ultimate possession, in fact, dribbling left off the excessive display screen earlier than seeing his opening to separate the double staff with a crossover and beeline into the lane.
Missing the house and time to achieve the rim, Reaves rose up for a floater and, with a fast flick from 12 ft out, swished the winner for the Los Angeles Lakers proper earlier than the buzzer for a 116-115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday evening.
“I feel all of us knew that was ballgame,” teammate Dalton Knecht mentioned.
After catching his steadiness and coming to grips along with his newest feat — he mentioned afterward he didn’t see the shot undergo the online as a result of he “most likely blacked out a little bit bit” — Reaves spun towards the visiting bench and ran over to leap round in a mob of giddy teammates.
“What tier he’s, I don’t know. I don’t care about that, however I feel final 12 months he established himself as a foul dude,” Lakers coach J.J. Redick mentioned. “That is who he’s.”
Luka Doncic and LeBron James, who stayed dwelling from this street journey to deal with recovering from their accidents, instantly posted their reward on social media. Reaves largely aw-shucked it off, however the headband-donning Arkansas native who went undrafted out of Oklahoma in 2021 has not shied in any respect from the load he should carry when the staff’s generational stars are lacking.
“The large factor is he’s established himself because the chief,” Redick mentioned. “That’s massive time. That’s what we’d like from him.”
Austin Reaves continues to step up with LeBron and Luka out.
With six gamers unavailable due to accidents, together with level guards Marcus Good and Gabe Vincent, Reaves has taken on a heavy ball-handling accountability whereas getting blitzed typically by opposing defenses that don’t have to fret about Doncic.
Even on an evening when he shot solely 9 for twenty-four from the ground, Reaves had 28 factors and matched his profession excessive with 16 assists to assist the Lakers construct a 20-point lead by late within the third quarter. They wanted each little bit of it to beat the Wolves, who — after a 3-pointer by Reaves with 4:01 left put the Lakers up 112-101 — used a 14-2 run to take the lead with 10.2 seconds to go.
“To have that chance for a giant street win, particularly with lots of people out, is particular,” Reaves mentioned, reflecting on his missed shot from the nook on the buzzer on the identical court docket in Recreation 4 of the first-round playoff sequence final spring that will’ve tied it solely to observe the Wolves maintain on and remove the Lakers in Recreation 5. “We stored hooping, they usually stored encouraging me to go do what I do.”
Reaves, who had a career-high 51 factors in a win over Sacramento on Sunday and 41 factors in defeat by Portland on Monday, turned the primary Lakers participant since Kobe Bryant 20 years in the past to start out a season with 5 consecutive video games of 25-plus factors.
In his postgame interview at Goal Heart, Reaves bought sentimental as he recalled blurting out to his mom’s finest buddy at age 7 that he deliberate to play within the NBA — regardless that he was extra of a baseball participant on the time and didn’t suppose a lot of basketball.
Now right here is taking part in for one of many league’s most iconic franchises. After averaging a career-best 20.2 factors per recreation final season, Reaves has elevated his recreation even additional — out of necessity with James lacking to start out and extra just lately Doncic becoming a member of him on the shelf.
“Bodily it’s a little bit extra, however I’m at all times mentally making an attempt to determine how I may also help — with them two and with out them two,” Reaves mentioned, playfully pleading for the entire staff’s lacking gamers to return shortly.
However within the stacked Western Convention, these early exams may go a good distance for the Lakers of their quest to return to depths of the playoffs.
“The camaraderie that we’ve inbuilt a brief time frame has been nice,” Reaves mentioned, “and we’re going to proceed to do this.”
Observe the motion from a 10-game evening within the NBA with all the highest moments, performs and stats of the evening.
Austin Reaves takes the highlight as the latest Laker to attain 50 and Deandre Ayton outduels Domantas Sabonis.
Lakers star dominated out for Sunday's matchup with the Kings, and can be re-evaluated in 1 week.
LeBron James is taking a powerful curiosity within the staff’s off-court work to make sure the Lakers get off to a good begin with out him.
Observe the motion from a 10-game evening within the NBA with all the highest moments, performs and stats of the evening.
Austin Reaves takes the highlight as the latest Laker to attain 50 and Deandre Ayton outduels Domantas Sabonis.
Lakers star dominated out for Sunday's matchup with the Kings, and can be re-evaluated in 1 week.
LeBron James is taking a powerful curiosity within the staff’s off-court work to make sure the Lakers get off to a good begin with out him.
After grinding by the previous three seasons with a 78-168 document, the Spurs win 5 straight to open the 2025-26 marketing campaign.
Bucks level guard shoots 13-for-21 total (5-7 3PM), additionally shelling out 8 assists towards just one turnover as Bucks win.
The two-time Kia MVP was dominated out shortly earlier than Thursday's matchup towards Golden State.
The transfer, introduced by 76ers president Daryl Morey retains McCain beneath contract with the staff by the 2026-27 season.
Cavs heart identified with non-displaced fracture, will endure a sequence of remedy and analysis main into their subsequent recreation.
Victor Wembanyama leads Spurs to first 5-0 begin in franchise historical past, whereas Ryan Rollins' profession evening leads Bucks previous Warriors with out Giannis Antetokounmpo.

source