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Austin Reaves exploded with a performance that replicated a feat LeBron James and Kobe Bryant had with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Saturday featured a matchup between the Lakers and Indiana Pacers, which saw James and newly acquired star Luka Doncic on the sidelines. The former sat out as he dealt with knee soreness.
With the opportunity to lead the offense, Reaves took advantage and never looked back. In 41 minutes of action, he finished with a season-high 45 points to go with seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals. He shot 14-of-26 from the field, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.
With his display, he became the first Laker to join Bryant, James and Anthony Davis in the last 20 years to score 45 or more points, per team reporter Mike Trudell.
What's next for Austin Reaves, Lakers after big win
Beating a relatively healthy Indiana Pacers squad was huge for Austin Reaves and the Los Angeles Lakers, especially without LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
It was particularly a marvelous performance for Reaves, who reached the 30-point mark for the third time this season. Before Saturday, he was averaging 18.5 points, 6.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds on 44.4% shooting from the field and 36.1% from downtown.
Reaves will revert to being a third scoring option when James and Doncic are on the court together. However, his ability to operate the offense effectively and make key plays down the stretch should not be underestimated.
Los Angeles boasts a 31-19 record, good for fourth in the Western Conference standings. They are one game behind the Denver Nuggets and 3.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies.
Following Saturday's win over the Pacers, the Lakers will prepare for Doncic's team debut. They host the Utah Jazz on Feb. 11 at 10:30 p.m. ET.
