The Los Angeles Lakers have spent much of the season in a revolving door of lineups, with LeBron James missing 16 games and Luka Doncic missing six. This inconsistency opens the door for Austin Reeves to show how far he has come.
From two explosive games with 44 points against Toronto and 36 points against Boston, to becoming one of the league's most reliable scorers, the 27-year-old has become All-Star consideration.
Although he puts up impressive numbers whenever his partner is unavailable, Reeves has made it clear that he prefers Doncic next to him. Reeves explained how much easier the game becomes when the Slovenian superstar is on the court.
“It's a lot easier when he's not out there, so get back there. But, congratulations,” Reeves said, via NBA Prime. “Like I said, try to play the game the right way. Obviously, he and LeBron draw a lot of attention together when he's on the floor and I'm able to be the second playmaker and play dominant basketball. And then when he's not on the court, try to be aggressive and give myself the best chance to win.”
Now in his fifth season, Reeves has developed into one of the Lakers' most important players, not just as a scorer but as a player who can adapt to the needs of the night. In 19 games, he averaged over 29.3 points per game and shot 52.5% from the field. When Doncic is off the court, those numbers jump to 40 points per game on 51.4 percent shooting.
Regardless of the role, Reeves' mentality remains the same: winning first, shooting second. His admiration extends to James, too, especially after LeBron gave up a shot against Toronto to preserve the best outcome, Hachimura's buzzer-beater, instead of chasing a winning streak. Reeves later paid tribute to James for prioritizing wins over milestones.
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