The Los Angeles Lakers won an overtime thriller against the Denver Nuggets, and it all started with what Austin Reaves was able to do at the end of regulation. Down two points, Reaves missed his free-throw to the far left, and he was able to recover the ball. He ran on the baseline and hit a floater to tie the game and send the game into overtime.

Before heading into overtime, Reaves was seen holding the basketball and saying, “I love you.”

The Lakers then went on to win the game after Luka Doncic used his clutch gene to sink the shot that put them up two points with .5 seconds remaining. The Nuggets didn't have enough time to get a clean shot, and the rest was history.

After the game, Reaves was asked about talking to the basketball at the end of regulation.

“I don’t really say much to the ball. It’s usually bad words. It’s usually when it’s not acting right,” Reaves said via ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Article Continues Below

It was the perfect scenario for Reaves, and it's almost like he knew the ball was going to fall right into his hands.

With the win, the Lakers now have the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, and that's important as the Western Conference has been competitive once again. The Lakers are also still in the No. 3 seed in the West, and they may not have a chance to move up more than that, as they're seven games behind the San Antonio Spurs.

The Lakers are clicking at the right time, and they have two games coming up against the Houston Rockets that are important for standings purposes. If the big three of Reaves, Doncic, and LeBron James can continue to play down the stretch of the season, they should be able to keep their hands on the No. 3 seed.