Austin Reaves scores 51 as Lakers beat Kings in Sacramento

The Lakers walked into Sacramento missing their headliners, and Austin Reaves walked retired covered successful a celebratory soak aft carrying the night. With LeBron James rehabbing a sciatica contented and Luka Doncic sidelined by digit and limb problems, Reaves became the answer, pouring successful a career-high 51 points to propulsion Los Angeles past the Kings, 127–120. He added 11 rebounds and 9 assists, shaping the crippled connected some ends.

Reaves said the connection was simple: “Especially connected a nighttime wherever you don’t person Luka, you don’t person Bron, you don’t person Jaxson [Hayes], you got to spell retired determination and beryllium large for the team… It was, ‘Do immoderate you tin bash to assistance the squad win.’”

His teammates nudged him toward thing bigger. Jarred Vanderbilt recalled telling him connected the bus, “I was telling AR, like, s---, we’re going to request 50 from you tonight.” Doncic texted that helium wanted 60. The people was set; Reaves chased it 4th by quarter—7 successful the first, 14 successful the second, past 15 successful some the 3rd and fourth.

Production without the stars

Los Angeles controlled agelong stretches acknowledgment to Reaves’ businesslike changeable profile. He went 12-for-22 from the field, drilled 6-of-10 from deep, and hammered location 21-of-22 astatine the stripe. His 4th 3 was the 500th of his career, already placing him ninth connected the franchise list. He besides became the eighth Laker to scope 20 made escaped throws successful a crippled and the 12th to deed the 50-point mark.

Coach JJ Redick underlined the broader takeaway: “I bash deliberation for this radical it’s important to cognize that you tin triumph a hoops crippled without those 2 guys.” Support arrived crossed the rotation. Deandre Ayton delivered 22 points and 15 rebounds and said, “This squad is, nary substance who’s connected the floor, we’re going to travel retired and play hard arsenic hell.” Rui Hachimura added 18 connected precocious efficiency, Marcus Smart started successful Doncic’s spot and scored 11, and Jake LaRavia chipped successful 11 disconnected the bench. Gabe Vincent exited with an ankle sprain aft halftime; X-rays were negative.

The past 2 points

The lone nerves showed with 23 seconds left, Lakers up five, Reaves stuck connected 49. “I ain’t gonna lie: I went to the escaped propulsion line, I’m like, ‘S---, I amended not miss,’” helium said. He buried both.

For a squad missing James and Doncic, it was impervious of concept—and for Reaves, a nighttime that redefines his ceiling.