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LA Lakers breakout star Austin Reaves realizes that the team is in a do-or-die situation regarding their playoff aspirations. Reaves reflected on the team's position following Wednesday's 122-111 win over Western Conference favorites Phoenix Suns.
The Lakers are two games away from starting their final road trip of the year, and Reaves reckons the team needs to keep their focus. Here's what he said (via Spectrum Sportsnet):
"It's do or die right now. I don't know what happened in the standings tonight, but if we can control what we control, that's our game every night, to go out and compete and play with a sense of urgency like we did tonight, we'll be fine."
The LA Lakers are battling to stay in the play-in bracket as they continue to eye the opportunity to earn a top-six finish in the Western Conference standings. The Lakers are 36-37 for the season following their win over the Suns.
They are placed 10th in the conference, a game ahead of the 11th-placed Utah Jazz (35-37) and 1.5 games behind the sixth-placed Golden State Warriors (38-36). LA has two games left in their current homestand against the OKC Thunder and Chicago Bulls. Both games are crucial, but the one against OKC will directly impact LA's standings in the West.
The 36-36 Thunder are eighth. The meeting will decide the season series winner, and the team with the victory will have a higher seeding if they finish with the same record.
Austin Reaves shines for LA Lakers again
Austin Reaves has been massive for the LA Lakers this season. The sophomore guard is averaging 12.3 points per game, shooting on 52/38/86 splits. Over the past few games in LeBron James' absence, Reaves has improved his production.
Since the start of March, Reaves has averaged 17.8 points (third highest on the team) and 5.5 assists per game, shooting a team-high 55.9% from the field. That stretch included a career-high 35-point night off the bench against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. The Lakers won that tie 111-105. Reaves single-handedly willed the team to a win after Anthony Davis struggled to make an impact.
It was a much-needed scratch for the Purple and Gold, with their hopes of a playoff appearance hanging by a thread. Reaves was rewarded with a starting job against the Phoenix Suns following his career night. He didn't disappoint.
Replacing Malik Beasley in the lineup, Austin Reaves tallied 25 points and a career-high 11 assists, shooting 60% from the field. He took only 10 attempts as he continued to be aggressive and draw fouls efficiently.
Reaves made 13 trips to the free-throw line and missed just one shot. His performances have been crucial in the absence of LeBron James. He has covered the Lakers' need for a consistent scorer outside Anthony Davis.
The Lakers will be hoping he can continue thriving like this over the final 10 games of the season. Their hopes of a top-six finish remain alive, but only if players like Austin Reaves consistently continue to make an impact of this magnitude.
