The Los Angeles Lakers took a major hit when Austin Reaves was ejected on Wednesday after voicing his frustration with the referee. The third-year guard was visibly upset over a no-call during the Lakers' matchup against the Charlotte Hornets and was swiftly ejected from the game.

The incident took place with 3:17 remaining in the third quarter. As Reaves drove to the rim for a layup attempt, he lost possession after contact from Jusuf Nurkic. Expecting a foul call that never came, Reaves grew visibly frustrated and quickly confronted the referee, shouting in protest. His reaction earned him an immediate technical foul.

The situation quickly worsened when Reaves received a second technical for continuing to argue while walking away. His emotional reaction resulted in an ejection, leaving him visibly frustrated and perplexed as he exited the court.

The Lakers guard wrapped up his night with eight points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks, shooting 3-of-9 from the field and 2-of-7 from beyond the arc in 27 minutes of action.

The Lakers collapsing after Austin Reaves' ejection

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) dribbles against the Utah Jazz during the first quarter at Delta Center.
Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
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At that moment, the Lakers held a 65-57 advantage before Miles Bridges knocked down the technical free throw, cutting the lead to 65-58. From there, the Hornets went on a run, closing out the third quarter with a 69-66 lead. It was a significant momentum shift, and neither Reaves nor Redick was particularly pleased with the technical foul.

Reaves is having a career-best season, posting averages of 19.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists while shooting 44.6% overall and 35.9% from beyond the arc. The fourth-year guard is excelling across the board, making strides in every aspect of his game.

Austin Reaves' emergence has been a valuable asset for the Lakers. As the second half of the regular season gets underway, the question now is whether he can maintain his consistency and remain a key contributor for LA.

The Lakers couldn't pull off a victory against the Hornets, falling 100-97. Luka Doncic was no longer on a minutes restriction but appeared rusty throughout the game. The Slovenian star posted 14 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists while struggling with his shot, going 5-for-18 from the field and 1-for-9 from beyond the arc.

LeBron James tried to carry Los Angeles on his back finishing with 26 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists. The 40-year-old shot 10-for-22 from the field and contributed on defense with a steal and two blocks, but his performance wasn’t enough to secure the win.

The Lakers will look to bounce back on Thursday as they take on the Portland Trail Blazers in the second game of their back-to-back.