The Lakers are a team that’s always in the spotlight, with their big names and even bigger expectations. But it’s not just about the stars. The Lakers’ new signings, including Austin Reaves, are proving that they have what it takes to contribute to the team’s success. LeBron James and Anthony Davis know that it takes a team effort to win championships, and they’re welcoming their new teammates with open arms.
Unfortunately, for the third straight game, the Lakers did not perform at their best when playing against the short-handed Phoenix Suns on Friday. It was a close match, with the Lakers barely winning 121-107, which went back and forth until the fourth quarter.
Despite feeling exhausted (LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Darvin Ham all emphasized the need for rest in their postgame comments), the Lakers celebrated their victory. They earned their 42nd win, securing a winning campaign after a challenging few months starting at 2-10. They became the sixth team in NBA history to start 2-10 and finish above .500.
The Lakers have been overly reliant on LeBron and AD for more than two seasons, but the new additions to the team have made a significant difference. They overcame a combined 10-of-29 shooting performance from their two fulcrums. Darvin thanked the newcomers for their contribution to the team’s improbable turnaround.
Darvin Ham had a big smile on his face talking about Austin Reaves’ “fearlessness” and watching him become a key cog for the Lakers.
Ham said Austin is “one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached” and looks “forward to him having many more great years in the purple and gold.”
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) April 8, 2023
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James was also ecstatic about the team’s success, and he praised the newcomers for their hot shooting. Russell scored 24 points (9-of-14 FG), Austin Reaves had 22 (9-of-13 FG), and Beasley had 21 (7-of-14 FG). Vanderbilt, Troy Brown Jr., and Rui Hachimura also made subtle contributions on both ends.
James said that the challenges of guarding the post-deadline Lakers are considerable since there is no one they can focus on. He added that the depth of the team is really strong, and even though he and Anthony David struggled, the team was still able to win.
LeBron commented that Austin’s contributions to the Lakers team since joining as an undrafted free agent were expected, stating, “I reviewed Reaves’ college footage and recognized that he possessed the IQ required to succeed in the professional league.”
When asked about Reaves, Darvin Ham’s enthusiasm was palpable. He praised Reaves for his evident “fearlessness” during pre-training camp scrimmages and even declared him as “one of my favorite players that I’ve ever coached.”
Reaves was not a deadline pickup, but he has noticeably raised his game since the All-Star break. He has become an aggressive scorer, a free-throw hunter, and a relentless shot-creator. His energy and incessant attacking compensated for a gassed and banged-up James and AD.
