Austin Reaves’s Struggles Cast a Shadow on Lakers’ Season Start

The Los Angeles Lakers had high hopes for Austin Reaves as the third pillar alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, his performance, especially in the 132-127 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night at the Golden 1 Center, fell short of expectations.

Despite the heroic efforts of Davis and James in the later stages of the game, Reaves struggled, contributing just five points on a 1-of-12 shooting from the field, and a 1-of-8 from beyond the arc.

In addition to his scoring woes, the 25-year-old displayed limited all-around impact, amassing only two rebounds, two assists, a steal, and three turnovers in his 28 minutes on the court. Reaves even found himself benched in favor of Gabe Vincent after the Lakers pushed the game into overtime.

For the Lakers to remain competitive in the Western Conference, Reaves needs to embrace his role as the third option, particularly on the offensive end of the court. The other Lakers’ starters combined for a productive 94 points, making it evident that a stronger contribution from Reaves could have tilted the game in their favor against Sacramento.

Unsurprisingly, Lakers fans expressed their frustration with Reaves and raised doubts about his readiness to assume this pivotal role. As the Lakers prepare to bounce back, they will face the young and talented Orlando Magic at the crypto.com Arena on Monday night, with the Magic starting the season on a positive note by winning their first two games.