With Luka Dončić and LeBron James out for LA’s contest against the Celtics, the Lakers needed somebody to step up and produce so they could continue winning during this road trip.
Typically, Austin Reaves
has not only embraced but also thrived in this role. He had 51 points against the Kings earlier this year when Luka and LeBron missed, and just came off a 44-point performance against the Raptors.
However, Reaves struggled epically in the opening quarter against the Celtics.
He missed all five of his shot attempts, only scoring two points from the free throw line. Reaves didn’t really excel as a perimeter defender, as the Celtics made seven 3-pointers in the opening period.
Reaves tried to facilitate the ball, but with no other stars on the floor, no Lakers got going. The score quickly got out of hand and the Lakers trailed 39-17 after one quarter of play. The deficit never shrank below double digits again, and the Celtics cruised to victory.
After the loss, Reaves didn’t shy away from his poor performance.
“I thought I was really bad to start the game,” Reaves said. “Missed some shots, had some turnovers. I got to be better and we just got to come out of the gate a little hotter.”
It won’t change the result, but it’s good to hear Reaves take ownership of his bad game. He has plenty of valid excuses he could go to, such as the fact that this was the second night of a back-to-back on the road, and with no other primary ball handlers, he had a lot on his plate in Boston.
Instead, Reaves acknowledged his rough start, and he’ll learn from this. Against other teams, perhaps the Lakers could’ve rallied, but the Celtics are too experienced for that. Regardless of who is available, Boston plays a relentless style and exhausts you on both ends of the court.
The good thing is, Reaves did find a groove as the game progressed.
He ended the game with 36 points and eight assists. Unfortunately, it was too little too late, and the Celtics never relinquished control of this game.
For Reaves, this is an area for growth. If he’s going to be a max player next year and a star in Los Angeles, he has to play like it always in all ways. The Lakers can’t be shorthanded if their All-Star is playing, or else, maybe that’s not a star for real.
Overall, Reaves has proven he can take on any challenge, and a bad game is no reason to make mountains out of molehills. The Lakers can’t win them all, and given the travel and players out, this was a scheduled loss.
It’s just a bummer it had to happen against the biggest rival during their only trip to Boston this season.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
