The Lakers and head coach JJ Redick made good on their preseason comments about keeping Austin Reaves involved in the offense, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times notes. The end result paid off, with Reaves becoming a contender for Most Improved Player after averaging career highs of 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 46.0% from the field and 37.7% on three-pointers.
As Woike writes, Reaves was included in a gathering with LeBron James and Luka Doncic in March, planting him within the team’s big three.
“Them being able to accept that challenge of figuring something out on the fly in the middle of a season — we challenged all three of those guys on that,” Redick said. “And Austin’s great to coach, awesome to coach. And, he’s accepted every challenge and exceeded any sort of baseline level of response that we could expect from him.”
We have more from Los Angeles:
- The Lakers acquired a generational star at the deadline and posted their first 50-win season since the 2019/20 championship. But is that enough to make them a legitimate title contender this year? Mark Medina of RG writes that the Lakers’ window is open and that Reaves is a huge part of that. Additionally, the Lakers have rebuilt their depth and their three stars are playing well together, which should give the team “justified confidence” in winning it all, according to Medina.
- Injuries have hampered Kawhi Leonard‘s time with the Clippers, but he looks good ahead of the team’s first-round series against Denver. According to Janis Carr of The Orange County Register, both the organization and Leonard trusted each other to get back to this point and win 50 games. “Giving [training staff president] Maggie Bryant a chance to show him some different things and different ways to be a hundred percent at the end of the season and do things a different way [was beneficial],” head coach Tyronn Lue said. “So her, along with Kawhi’s group, did a good job. The biggest thing is just trusting.” As Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes, Leonard has maintained his love for basketball through the injuries. “I love the game. I love the game and I have a passion for it still. I love to compete out there. So, that’s pretty much what drives me back,” Leonard said.
- Clippers center Ivica Zubac is enjoying the best season of his career and is riding the momentum into a series-long matchup with Nikola Jokic, Carr writes in another piece. “He understands the game, the game has slowed down a lot for him to where he understands who he’s playing against and who he’s guarding and so he’s effective on both ends of the ball,” teammate James Harden said of Zubac. “You know, for guys like me my job is just trying to make it easy for him … to get him touches. But he’s worked his butt off.” In March and April, the big man averaged 19.9 points, 12.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per night.
Lakers out in R1.
Antman, Batman ,Ginger Toby McGuire Spider-Man kissing his sister upside down.
Lakers in 5
I didn’t see that version of the film lol
Check the uncut scenes on the dvd Lil D
Oh, good luck finding a dvd player as well
That might be the bootleg version you buy on the dark web lol my neighbor would love that he’s a big comic book fan
Lakers aren’t winning this year.
I wouldn’t be suprised if Timberwolves beat them.
Factually neither la team is going to the wcf especially the clippers who employ the fraud they call the beard! Lakers ,clippers and warriors won’t be in the wcf to be more frank
didn’t you say the warriors and Lakers would not make the playoffs? So i guess we know the opposite will happen with whatever you say.
Wow – I’d say the Clippers have an excellent shot compared to the other 2
The guy been bashing warriors and lakers all year long. Cliuppers/Nuggets series is a toss up. Lue is a great coach so nobody better count them out.
This meme was funny before Shannon Sharpe appropriated it
Is that good for business? Keep on eye the free throw attempts for both.
Minny in
first round. Time to retire Bron …..
LeBron averages just under 25ppg and is the 2nd best player on a 50-win team… and he should retire???
What other players averaging 25ppg, or other players who are the second best player on any nba team – regardless of record – should retire?
Or, just LeBron?
Maybe you’ll catch on when Brawny Sensation still averages just under 25ppg when he’s 50, jump shot.