Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves delivered another standout performance Wednesday night, capping it with a game-winning shot to lift his short-handed team to a 116-115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After the win, Reaves joked about how his star teammates LeBron James and Luka Doncic might react to his performance while they continue to recover from injuries.
“They’ll probably tell me I suck because I missed like 14 shots,” Reaves told ESPN’s Jorge Sedano postgame. “Get back my brother, and LeBron. Everybody get back.”
Despite his lighthearted comment, Reaves’ efforts have carried the Lakers through a stretch without their two franchise cornerstones. The 27-year-old guard finished the night with 28 points, a career-high 16 assists, two steals, and one rebound while shooting 9-for-24 from the field, 3-for-11 from three, and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line across 40 minutes of play.
“They'll probably tell me I suck.” 😂
Austin Reaves on what LeBron and Luka will tell him after his game-winner over the Timberwolves. pic.twitter.com/Ol2wBBLM6y
— ESPN (@espn) October 30, 2025
Reaves’ game-winner against Minnesota marked his third straight high-scoring performance. On Sunday, he erupted for a career-high 50 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists in a 128-120 win over the Sacramento Kings, shooting 12-for-22 from the field, 6-for-10 from three, and 21-for-22 from the free-throw line. One night later, he followed with 41 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals in a 122-108 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.
Austin Reaves keeps Lakers steady as LeBron James, Luka Doncic eye November returns
Through five games this season, Reaves is averaging 34.2 points, 10 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per contest while shooting 52.5 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three, and 89.7 percent from the line. His scoring surge has helped keep Los Angeles competitive while James and Doncic remain sidelined.
James has yet to appear this season as he continues to recover from a sciatica injury that has sidelined him since training camp. The Lakers announced prior to the season that the 40-year-old will be reevaluated in three to four weeks as he rehabs nerve irritation in the glute. Doncic, meanwhile, is dealing with a left finger sprain and leg contusion that has kept him out of the lineup for the past three games. Both stars are expected to return in November.
Reaves’ leadership has drawn praise from head coach JJ Redick, who noted that his guard’s poise and playmaking have stabilized the offense amid injuries to their top two ball handlers. The Lakers improved to 3-2 with Wednesday’s win, maintaining their footing in the Western Conference standings despite the early adversity.
Los Angeles will look to continue its momentum Friday night when it visits the Memphis Grizzlies (3-2) at 9:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video. The Lakers then return home Sunday to face the Miami Heat (3-1), who currently boast the league’s highest-scoring offense at 131.5 points per game through the first two weeks of the season.
With James and Doncic nearing returns next month, Reaves’ emergence as a reliable scorer and facilitator has given the Lakers confidence they can withstand early challenges as they await their full roster’s return.
