LOS ANGELES — It wasn’t a pretty win for the Lakers against the Nets on Friday night. Despite Brooklyn having every incentive to lose and dropping nine games entering this contest, they trailed by just one entering the final quarter.
The Lakers, desperately trying to avoid an embarrassing loss, needed to get a boost from somewhere. LeBron James was having a quiet night with just 11 points, and Luka Dončić was already doing everything he could to help the team win, scoring 36.
So, the Lakers went to their other top scorer, Austin Reaves, for some offensive production. In the clutch, Reaves delivered, playing all 12 minutes and scoring 15 in the fourth to ensure the Lakers would walk away victorious.
“I think AR just being mentally tough and playing through everything that was happening in the game and just eventually found his rhythm, head coach JJ Redick said postgame. “I think that started with getting to the free throw line. It started with touching the paint and scoring on some of those non-rim paint twos.”
Reaves’ fourth-quarter dominance felt like it came out of nowhere.
This was the first Lakers home game after a six-game road trip where Reaves struggled from beyond the arc, going 9-39.
He entered the final frame, struggling from the field overall, shooting 3-8, and passed up on a couple of open looks from beyond the arc. Still, Reaves did what many great players do and worked through his slow start and played his best when it mattered most.
Reaves’ offensive onslaught in the fourth started mildly with a free throw technical. But like an avalanche, it was the movement he needed to build up his momentum.
With the Lakers down by one with less than nine minutes to go, Reaves responded by knocking down a pair of threes. He continued to attack the paint, drawing contact and getting to the line. After hitting a pair from the charity stripe, he followed that up with another from downtown.
The subdued crowd erupted as the make gave the Lakers a 13-point edge with less than three minutes left to play.
LA never gave up control and Reaves scored the final points of the night with a late 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the contest.
It was an ugly win, but it counts just as much as all their quality victories. And with the Western Conference playoff race being as tight as it is, winning is all that matters and Reaves knows that better than most.
“Just continuing to play hard and play the right way,” Reaves said. “Yeah, it’s a tough game, but you got to go to work and be successful.”
The Lakers will only go as far as Dončić and Reaves will take them. As the stakes of these Lakers games increase, Reaves will have to elevate his game. So watching him do just that, even on a night when it looked like he couldn’t reach that level, was encouraging.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
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