LOS ANGELES – Whereas the Los Angeles Lakers fashioned a brand new star duo, pairing LeBron James with Luka Doncic following a surprising NBA commerce deadline, it is doable that the group truly has a star trio. Fourth-year guard Austin Reaves is within the midst of a breakout season for the Lakers, and at instances has regarded like the perfect participant on the courtroom alongside James and Doncic.
In the course of the Lakers’ most up-to-date win in opposition to the New Orleans Pelicans, Reaves was second on the group in scoring with 30 factors, behind solely Doncic. Following the win, Lakers head coach JJ Redick spoke about the important thing areas of Reaves’ growth that is allowed him to have a giant yr to date.
“I believe he is enjoying with a really excessive degree of confidence proper now, and I believe the liberty that he is performed with for a lot of the season, if not all the season, has simply allowed him to develop,” JJ Redick mentioned. I believe he continues to develop persistence for when issues aren’t taking place early for him, and simply figuring out that he is gonna find yourself with 15-20 photographs. That is simply the way in which our group is structured.”
In opposition to the Pelicans, Austin Reaves etched his identify into Lakers historical past by reaching the second-most three-pointers in a season behind solely Nick Van Exel.
Austin Reaves’ breakout season for Lakers
When the Lakers first acquired Reaves, each single group within the NBA had handed him over. He had gone undrafted within the 2021 NBA Draft, and the Lakers signed him to a two-way contract. He in the end outplayed that contract and it was transformed to a regular deal.
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Reaves’ position on the group has grown every season, culminating with this yr when the group primarily selected him as the purpose guard of the longer term following D’Angelo Russell’s transfer to the bench and subsequent commerce.
His numbers are up throughout the board; he is taking career-highs in shot makes an attempt with 14.3 from the sector and seven.3 from the three-point line. His minutes are a career-best too at a bit of over 35 per recreation. He is began all 69 video games he is performed in as in comparison with the previous couple of seasons when former head coach Darvin Ham stored tinkering with the lineups.
Total, Reaves is averaging 20.2 factors, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals with splits of 45.8 p.c taking pictures from the sector, 37.2 p.c taking pictures from the three-point line and 88.2 p.c taking pictures from the free-throw line. He is dropped not less than 30 factors in 4 of the Lakers’ final 5 video games.
Because the group continues their quest for playoff positioning within the Western Convention, it is clear that Reaves goes to be key for no matter postseason success the Lakers hope to have.