The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off an impressive, perhaps very consequential, win on Sunday afternoon, beating the Memphis Grizzlies in the first game of their playoff run.
It was Rui Hachimura who scored the most for his team with 29 points but there are many who said the game belonged to not only Hachimura but also Austin Reaves.
Reaves was a unit, scoring 23 points and going 8-of-13 from the field.
He was especially crucial in the final moments of the game.
Reaves has been with the Lakers for two years now but this might have been his biggest game.
It has certainly garnered him the most attention in his career.
Skip Bayless was blown away by Reaves and said so on Monday’s episode of Undisputed.
“Dare I say, right before our eyes: is Austin Reaves turning into a star?” Bayless asked.
“Dare I say, right before your eyes, is Austin Reaves turning into a STAR?!”
— @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/W05ULWwETE
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) April 17, 2023
Bayless said that he actually took note of Reaves during the young player’s days playing college ball for Oklahoma and he has seen an athlete who has evolved in some huge ways.
He now thinks that Reaves has turned into a legitimate star.
Fans of the Lakers have been saying this for some time now.
In his first season, Reaves posted 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists.
He started in 19 games and played for an average of 23.2 minutes.
This season, he is putting up 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists and has started 22 times and is averaging 28.8 points.
He has been doing better offensively and the amount of fight he has on the other end of the court is remarkable too.
He is not the biggest player on the court but he is a terrific defender, playing with heart and a lack of fear.
Because of this, Reaves has been known to shut down opponents much bigger than him or draw a foul and make it to the free throw line.
He plays with power, enthusiasm, and a sort of boyish charm that has won Lakers fans over.
And now that he’s playing on such a big stage, other people are taking notice.
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