The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off an enormous win over the Indiana Pacers, with LeBron James overcoming a sluggish begin to the sport and redeeming himself by hitting a game-winning tip-in on the buzzer to earn a 120-119 victory. This win retains the Lakers at fourth within the Western Convention standings, they usually nonetheless stay in competition for the three and even the two-seed regardless of going via a three-game shedding streak this previous week.
Whereas common season success is necessary and is a big figuring out consider how a lot success a group can obtain within the playoffs, the Lakers know that merely attending to the playoffs wholesome is sufficient to give them a shot at successful a championship. In spite of everything, they’re boasting the companies of two of the best postseason performers in latest historical past in James and Luka Doncic.
However simply how far the Lakers can go within the playoffs will rely on this X-factor, in response to ESPN pundit Kendrick Perkins.
“Austin Reaves was the X-factor [in the Lakers’ win over the Pacers]. It is the belief that JJ Redick, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic has in him,” Perkins stated on SportsCenter. “If the Lakers are going to make a deep run within the postseason, it’s going to be due to video games like this behind Austin Reaves.”
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It’ll take a group effort for the Lakers to make a deep playoff run
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The Lakers will want each rotation participant to indicate up within the playoffs to compensate for his or her lack of measurement on the inside. Taking part in glorious protection can be key for them, and the likes of Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Gabe Vincent can be referred to as upon to play their roles to perfection as LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves cleared the path.
On Wednesday, Reaves was a steadying drive for the Lakers as per standard. He could have had a ghastly evening from past the arc, making simply one among his eight makes an attempt from deep, however he nonetheless completed with 24 factors on 8-16 capturing from the sphere, filling the second possibility position for the Lakers as James struggled along with his shot all evening lengthy.
At this level, calling Reaves an X-factor could also be promoting him brief, however Perkins is correct — the Lakers want him to be as constant as he is been all yr in the event that they have been to mount a deep playoff run.