JJ Redick Unworried After Austin Reaves’ Second Straight Off Night
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LOS ANGELES — Head coach JJ Redick said he is not alarmed by Austin Reaves’ recent dip in production after the guard turned in a second consecutive sub-par performance during the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday night.
Reaves scored 16 points on 6-for-16 shooting and attempted only one free throw in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 14-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena. Two days earlier, the third-year guard managed 11 points on 3-for-16 from the field in a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, his lowest output of the season.
“The reality is the guy’s carried us for six weeks, and that takes a toll on you,” Redick told reporters after the game. “He kept fighting, and I appreciate that, but he’s going to have a lot more great nights than frustrating nights.”
Reaves, who has played at an All-Star level for much of the season and often shouldered the offense when LeBron James and Luka Doncic were unavailable, declined to lean on fatigue as an explanation. “Just didn’t get the ball to go in the basket,” he said.
Redick added that the team’s issues extend beyond Reaves’ shooting woes, noting that recurring problems have surfaced repeatedly in the Lakers’ losses.
The Lakers will look for Reaves to regain his form when they resume regular-season play later this week.
Source: Lakers Nation
