Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves called it special to advance to the Western Conference Finals but since getting there it hasn’t been all roses.
The Lakers find themselves down 3-0 to the Denver Nuggets, an outcome not many expected considering how well they’ve played during the 2023 Playoffs. Reaves has been outstanding during the series, but the Nuggets as a collective have been far more consistent.
Reaves admitted that he and the team are upset to be in the position they are now, but emphasized that they’ll continue to fight like they have been the past few months. “Obviously right now you’re, I mean, pissed off with how the outcome has come the last three games.
“But like you said, our backs have been against the wall. I’ve spoke about probably the last two months, maybe more than that since the trade deadline, swinging, throwing punches to fight to get to this opportunity.
“You know, we’ll go watch film tomorrow, and we can either come out Monday and go home or we can fight for another day, and with the group of guys that we’ve got, I know what that answer will be.”
It can be deflating for any team to be just a game away from being sent home, but Reaves also insisted that the energy hasn’t dipped in the locker room.
“Energy level is high. We get to play basketball for a living and this is what every guy in the locker room, what every guy in the league chooses to do, and it’s something that you have a very high passion for.
“So any day that you wake up and you go to a job you love, as I’m sure you all know, you don’t need any extra push or motivation because you’re doing what you love. So that’s enough right there. Every day I walk in the gym and everybody’s happy to be there. You know, seeing one another, hanging out, getting work in.
“Just being around is really fun. That ain’t going to change. I mean, we’ll go in tomorrow and I’m sure everybody is not going to be in a good mood but we are still excited to be doing this every day.”
Game 4 could be the end of the Lakers’ season, but hopefully Reaves and the team battle to keep their run alive.
Darvin Ham calls coming back from 3-0 deficit difficult but not impossible
Darvin Ham has weathered plenty of storms already in his first season, remaining positive through every turn. Now facing his first elimination game, Ham stayed steady and said he believes Los Angeles can come back despite being down 3-0.
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