The Los Angeles Lakers opened their 2025 preseason schedule on Friday night with a 123-97 loss to the Phoenix Suns at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California. Guard Austin Reaves paced L.A. with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting in just 21 minutes, but said the exhibition underscored how much work the reshaped roster still has to do.
“I’ve been through five preseasons now, so I know it’s never perfect the first time,” Reaves told reporters after the game. “We have a long way to go, and we’re aware of that. We just need to compete harder and pay closer attention to the details.”
The Lakers played without stars LeBron James and newly acquired Luka Doncic, leaving head coach JJ Redick to experiment with new lineups. Reaves said Redick emphasized three controllable areas—energy, execution and communication—that the team showed only in stretches.
Despite the lopsided score, the 25-year-old guard looked comfortable initiating the offense. Assistant coach Greg St. Jean twice told Reaves he appeared “quick,” a compliment the Arkansas native joked he rarely hears. “It felt good just to be back on the floor playing basketball again,” Reaves said.
Reaves added that he hopes James and Doncic can log preseason minutes soon so the group can begin building chemistry. Until then, he expects to continue handling extensive on-ball duties, a role he has embraced since breaking into the rotation two seasons ago.
The Lakers return to preseason action next week as they continue to seek an offensive and defensive identity before the regular season tips off later this month.
Source: Lakers Nation
