6ft 10″ star Anthony Davis led the Lakers to a thrilling victory over the Warriors last night. After dominating the first quarter, the Lakers were stumped by Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole in the second quarter. Golden State came within 1 point of the Hollywood franchise but failed to maintain that rhythm throughout the game. Their loss was the Lakers’ 6th win in the past 9 games. Definitely a major shift from how they had been playing before the All-Star break.
Advertisement
With LeBron James’ absence, Anthony Davis has been leading the charge. He played with an intensity befitting a player who was once proclaimed as the next big thing. However, there was another player on the team who exceeded expectations last night. Austin Reaves, a 24-year-old shooting guard, performed so surgically that even Lakers legend Magic Johnson has proclaimed him as one of his favorites.
Magic Johnson calls Austin Reaves one of his favorite Lakers players
After the Lakers’ impressive performance against the Warriors, Magic Johnson took to Twitter to share his appreciation of one player who stood out last night. Although every Laker played their role aptly, Austin Reaves was far more efficient than anybody. He shot 3 of his 5 attempts from the three and dropped 16 points and 8 assists on the Curry-led Warriors.
Reaves’ performance was all the more important because LeBron James was absent from the lineup. Without him, the Lakers are clearly understaffed and need all the scoring help they can get. Johnson also pointed out how Reaves provided much-needed help to Anthony Davis and helped him seal the game.
Magic: “AD got some help from one of my favorite Laker Austin Reaves who ended the game with 16 points in the 113-105 victory against the Warriors.”
This praise coming from a legend of not just the game but his own team must be encouraging for Reaves. It will be interesting to witness Reaves’ evolution in the coming seasons. He has certainly proven himself as an important role player but hopefully, he can further improve as a scorer.
Anthony Davis dropped 39 against the Warriors
Anthony Davis played like he was on a mission. It was refreshing to see AD dominate in this manner once again after a difficult season. In light of LeBron’s absence, Davis is now shouldering all of the weight. Fortunately, the new-look Lakers are far better than what they were only a few weeks ago.
AD performed impressively on both ends of the court. He was a defensive force and a constant shot-blocking threat throughout the game. However, it was his impact on the offensive end that really led to the win. Davis registered 39 points on 56% shooting and also had 8 rebounds and 6 assists. This could be the re-emergence of Anthony Davis that the Lakers have been anticipating throughout the season.
