Austin Reaves Rejects Fatigue Excuse After Lakers’ Slow Start in Boston
SLUG: austin-reaves-rejects-fatigue-excuse-lakers-celtics
The Los Angeles Lakers followed a Thursday victory in Toronto with a 126-105 loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday night, surrendering a 39-17 first quarter at TD Garden. Playing the second half of a back-to-back, Los Angeles rested LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart, giving Boston an early advantage it never relinquished.
The Celtics connected on 53 percent of their 45 three-point attempts and led wire to wire. Guard Austin Reaves, who finished the night with a rough opening stretch that included missed shots and turnovers, declined to blame the schedule.
“We get to play the game we love almost every night,” Reaves told Spectrum SportsNet. “Sometimes it’s back-to-backs when you get in late, but you still find the energy to compete. I have to be better, and we’ve got to start games hotter.”
Boston’s hot shooting, combined with Los Angeles’ tired legs after an emotional win in Canada, left the visitors scrambling for offense. The Lakers trimmed the margin several times but never seriously threatened.
Head coach Darvin Ham’s club wraps up its road trip Sunday in Philadelphia, where the team hopes to have James, Doncic and Smart available.
Reaves added that he intends to visit Doncic in Slovenia during the upcoming offseason, underscoring a friendship that has grown quickly since Doncic’s arrival in Los Angeles.
Source: Lakers Nation
