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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers dropped Game 1 of their opening round playoff series, 117-95, against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Starting guard Austin Reaves, who has formed a sort of ‘Big 3‘ for the Lakers alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic, didn't quite have the game fans have come to expect from him.
In Game 1, Austin Reaves did finish with 16 points, but shot only 5-of-13 from the field and 3-0f-8 from three-point range as the Lakers fell behind in the series, 1-0. He started off the game slow, and was able to find a bit of a rhythm as the game went on, but it wasn't enough as the Lakers now face a must-win scenario before the series shifts to the Timberwolves homecourt.
Following the game, Reaves acknowledged that he needed get off to a better start in Game 2.
“I didn't play very well. I got a couple of shots to go in the third quarter, but through the whole midst of the game I have to be better,” Reaves said. “I have to help us control the game better and I'll watch the film and get better.”
Reaves was 1-of-6 shooting from the field in the first half, but managed to go 4-of-5 shooting in the third quarter. While the Lakers couldn't close the gap in the second half, Reaves clearly found a way for success against the Wolves' defense, at least for a quarter. But regardless of how the team is shooting, Reaves acknowledged that it shouldn't affect their defensive intensity.
“I missed some bunnies early in that first quarter and second quarter that I'd like to think I'd shoot at a better percentage,” Reaves said. “And I think as a team, if you ask everybody that missed a couple, they would say the same thing. You can't let missed shots affect what you're doing on the defensive end. You still have to get back and compete. We'll do that on Tuesday.”
Reaves ended the regular season having appeared in 73 games at a little over 34 minutes per game. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals with splits of 46 percent shooting from the field, 37.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 87.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
The Lakers ended up making the playoffs outright this season, earning the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, after having to go through the play-in each year since it's inception. But even though the Wolves came in as the No. 6 seed, they finished the season at 49-33, just a single game behind the Lakers' 50-32.
