The Los Angeles Lakers won a really important game last night. They are at the juncture where another loss will propel them into the bottom 5 in their conference, effectively ending all playoff dreams. Thankfully, with that last win, the gold and purples are seeded 10th. Though they will not make it to the top 6, they still have a shot at playing in the play-in tournament.
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Although LeBron James’ absence has undoubtedly affected the team, the rise of Austin Reaves and the return of Anthony Davis have kept them barely afloat. Reaves has been the biggest surprise. He is balling like a start pro and even though this does not guarantee he will turn into a legitimate star, having him on the roster will be quite beneficial for the Lakers.
Skip Bayless, on the latest episode of Undisputed, suggested that LeBron James is taking note of Austin’s growth from the sidelines. Skip also claimed that Reaves will get more playing time after this stretch even when Bron returns.
Skip Bayless feels LeBron James can work with Austin Reaves
In the episode, Skip pointed out Reaves’ unimpressive college career and charted out the difference he has made in the last year. Bayless commended the 24-year-old for improving so much and claimed LeBron will be eager to work with him.
Bayless: “It’s not very often, at this level, in this league that you see an undrafted, white American kid come out of nowhere.” He further stated: “LeBron learned last year he can trust the kid. Because the kid just knows how to play the game and the kid is fearless. So, if you have the IQ, or just sort of the feel for basketball, and are fearless, LeBron is like okay. And guess who was sitting down at the end of the bench with his sunglasses on but who was closely observing last night? LeBron James.”
“Austin Reaves is the best player on the floor.”@RealSkipBayless gives Reaves and the Lakers a ‘9’ on the impressive scale for 122-111 win over the Suns: pic.twitter.com/foEmtTEuGb
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 23, 2023
Will Austin work as a starter for the Lakers?
In all fairness, it is still too soon to appropriately ascertain Reaves’ value. We have already seen him play impressively coming off the bench. But as a starter, Austin Reaves is yet to prove himself. That being said, Reaves, last night, registered the most points as a starter this season. It was also the second double-double of his career.
Reaves will need to be a lot more consistent and reliable. In his 31 career starts, he has averaged 10.8 points. 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. For a Lakers starter, these are not great numbers. With every available spot on the starting lineup, the pressure for Austin to perform will only increase going forward. He is now in the limelight and he can make or break it by his own designs.
