Having both Luka Doncic and LeBron James makes the Los Angeles Lakers a threat against anybody, but it can be argued that Austin Reaves is the player who really takes this team over the top. The Lakers’ third option, Reaves is capable of completely taking over games and greatly lessens the load on the team’s two superstars.
In the Lakers’ victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, it was Reaves who was the team’s best player as LeBron remains out due to injury and Luka had a bad shooting game. Reaves would take over in the second half and finish with 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists in a 16-point win.
The performance, and many other recent ones, has really impressed Lakers two-way guard Jordan Goodwin who called for everyone to put some more respect on Reaves’ name.
“I always liked AR,” Goodwin said. “He came out of college and everything like that. He’s our 3rd option, but he’s better than most 1’s and most 2’s in the league, so we gotta keep putting respect on AR’s name because he’s definitely one of them ones. He’s one of them ones.”
In this brutal stretch of four games in five nights, Reaves has averaged 30.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 7.0 assists while shooting 52.9% from the field and 42.5% from 3-point range. With LeBron out, Reaves has shown he can consistently step up as the team’s second offensive option and keep things clicking when Doncic sits, which has been extremely important. And Goodwin wants to make sure Reaves gets his deserved credit as he has recognized his greatness for a while after playing against him.
“This is my first time playing with him,” Goodwin added. “I’ve guarded him the other two years I was in the league, so I had matchups with him and stuff like that. But it just shows, he’s been doing it. I think that game, Luka and Bron were out and what did he have, 36? Showed that he could lead a team against the Denver Nuggets, so he’s just that. And he keeps getting better. And he keeps showing everything he’s got.”
Goodwin has certainly gotten his share of praise recently as well with many believing the Lakers should convert his two-way deal into a standard contract. But regardless of his own status, he has been extremely impressed with just how good Reaves is.
Lakers’ Austin Reaves believes Jordan Goodwin deserves a standard NBA contract
Austin Reaves was huge for the Lakers against the Spurs, but the same can be said for Jordan Goodwin who contributed 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. And while Goodwin wants Reaves to get his proper praise, Reaves wants Goodwin to get what he deserves as well, a standard NBA contract.
“Yeah, I mean it’s not conventional. He’s been on a standard contract, and he’s been on a two-way [contract]. Back and forth, the G League and then us,” Reaves said. “Then a couple people got hurt, and then [he] got the opportunity to get out there and show what he can do.
“I told him, I think it was that first game that we played Indiana, he had a hell of a game, and I just told him, ‘I don’t know how out of 30 teams you’re not on a regular contract.’ [It’s] the way that he can affect the game without having the ball in his hands. I bet you anybody that’s played with him enjoy it because he does all the things that are right. Big shout out to him. He’s been a huge factor for us.”
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