Reaves Rediscovers Form as Lakers Clamp Down on Knicks
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Austin Reaves delivered 25 points in Sunday’s 129-95 rout of New York, giving the Los Angeles Lakers a glimpse of the scorer who opened the season in All-Star fashion. The third-year guard had topped 20 points only twice in his previous 15 appearances after missing three weeks with a strained left calf in early February.
“The message has been to be himself,” head coach JJ Redick said after the game. “Every time he gets the ball, we want him to be aggressive and have a mentality to touch the paint.”
Reaves’ early-season surge had put him on track for the five-year, $241 million extension he can sign this summer. Following Sunday’s matinee, Reaves said his focus was simply to “have fun,” adding that although his shooting had slipped, he felt he was “doing a lot of other things well.”
Defense Steps Up Without LeBron
Playing without LeBron James, who sat out due to elbow and foot issues, Los Angeles turned in one of its sharpest defensive efforts of the year. The Lakers held the league’s third-most-efficient offense to 42.7 percent from the field and forced 19 turnovers. Redick praised Reaves, Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart for repeatedly taking charges, calling it “a sacrificial play” that has motivated the roster throughout the season.
Ayton’s Minutes, Hayes Connection
Center Deandre Ayton, limited recently by knee soreness, logged 20 minutes against New York after sitting out most of the previous two contests. “We’re hopeful and optimistic that we’re going to get a consistent version of him down the stretch,” Redick said.
Separately, a subscriber report in The Orange County Register detailed the growing pick-and-roll chemistry between Doncic and backup big man Jaxson Hayes, suggesting that easy baskets for Hayes could open up more options in the Lakers’ half-court sets.
Source: Hoops Rumors
