The Los Angeles Lakers took the Minnesota Timberwolves to the wire in an OT thriller. Austin Reaves won the game with an amazing buzzer-beater shot to give the Lakers a 116-115 win. On Wednesday night, Reaves had star quality in spades. He scored 28 points and handed out 16 assists to lift his team to the win. Even with LeBron James, Luka Doncic and others in the league out, the Lakers proved their depth and fought their way to a strong road contest.
The game presented a furious pace of play and back-and-forth scoring in the second half, with the Lakers barely leading 62-58 at halftime. Minnesota rallied late in the game, trailing 114-106 with just 2:30 remaining on the clock. The Timberwolves answered with a quick 9-0 burst, regaining the lead with one point and flipping the table back on Los Angeles.
Late Game Drama
As the game neared its conclusion, Austin Reaves emerged as the difference-maker. After catching a lob from fellow Grizzlies player Jake LaRavia, Reaves took a few dribbles before sidestepping Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels. He almost did against Utah’s Jaden McDaniels and Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert. As the buzzer went off, he released a jump shot from well inside the free-throw line.
“To have that opportunity for a big road win, especially with a lot of people out, is special,” – Austin Reaves
That game-winning shot capped off a remarkable performance by Reaves though. His ability to reference back in high-pressure situations displayed his maturation as a player. Beyond his individual accolades, it really underscored his evolving leadership presence for a Lakers squad.
Team Contributions
Reaves’ two-way game helped him log the best performance of the night for Los Angeles. LaRavia was terrific, scoring 27 points on 10-for-11 shooting and 5-for-6 from 3-point range. His contributions were instrumental in keeping the duo’s pressure on the Timberwolves hot and heavy all game long.
Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels chipped in with 30 points on 11-for-19 shooting, including three made three-pointers on four tries. Despite great individual performances, the Timberwolves lost the game. Julius Randle did some important work too but we’re not sure what his stat line was for the game.
Injury Impact
The Lakers caught a heavy dose of the injury bug with multiple players that were staples in their rotation missing time. In addition to LeBron James (sciatica) and Luka Doncic (left finger sprain and lower left leg contusion), they were without Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, and Maxi Kleber due to various ailments. Jaxson Hayes was back on the court after missing three games due to a knee injury. Playing 13 minutes, he added two points, two rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal as well.
Reaves reflected on the team’s collective effort throughout the game:
“We kept hooping, and they kept encouraging me to go do what I do.” – Austin Reaves
