Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been the Lakers' saving grace during their injury crisis, dropping 51 and 41 points on consecutive nights. But even his heroics weren't enough against the Portland Trail Blazers, as the undermanned Lakers fell 122-108 on Monday.
Following the loss, Reaves opened up about the challenge of playing shorthanded in back-to-back games, as per Ryan Ward of LakersNation on social media.
“Honestly, I think it starts with mentally trying to get yourself ready for the game. It's not easy, but like I said, this is what we signed up to do, so we have to figure it out. I thought with our intensity we played hard enough to win but we just didn't execute good enough,” Reaves said.
The Lakers had seven players ruled out against the Blazers, including LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Gabe Vincent, Marcus Smart, Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, and Adou Thiero. That forced Reaves into a massive role as the primary creator and scorer.
Reaves finished with 41 points on 13-22 shooting against Portland, adding five assists and three steals in 39 minutes. Just one night earlier, he had exploded for a career-high 51 points with 11 rebounds and nine assists in a win over the Sacramento Kings.
The 51-point performance was historic, putting Reaves in the Lakers' 50-point club. He got to the free-throw line 21 times against the Kings and another 14 times against the Blazers, showing foul-drawing ability under heavy usage.
The back-to-back showcased Reaves' ability to function as a true number-one option. He averaged 46 points across the two games while maintaining efficiency from three-point range and attacking the basket. The 21-for-22 free-throw night against Sacramento highlighted his composure in crunch time.
With so many key players sidelined, Reaves will need to maintain this level for the foreseeable future. LeBron James isn't expected back until mid-November as he deals with sciatica. Doncic is week-to-week with a finger sprain and leg contusion, while Gabe Vincent will miss 2-4 weeks with an ankle sprain.
Marcus Smart and Jaxson Hayes could return on the upcoming road trip if their progress continues. Until then, Reaves will need to keep carrying this massive load as the Lakers' offense runs almost entirely through him.
The early returns show just how much pressure that puts on one player. Los Angeles sits at 2-2 through four games. Without their stars, the Lakers need Reaves to keep producing at an elite level just to stay competitive.
