A week ago, the Los Angeles Lakers pulled off one of the early-season stunners, edging the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-115 on the road behind a dramatic buzzer-beater from Austin Reaves. The victory came as a significant upset, according to the Action Network and BET365. Minnesota entered that game as 7.5-point favorites, with a moneyline of -290, while the Lakers were +233 underdogs. A $100 Los Angeles bet returned a $233 profit, and the total points nearly hit the 225.5 pregame over/under line.
The win was even more remarkable given the circumstances. The Lakers were undermanned and viewed as a long shot against one of the Western Conference’s top home teams. Without LeBron James and Luka Dončić, both sidelined by injuries, Los Angeles relied on its depth and grit to pull through. The game snapped Minnesota’s seven-game home winning streak and served as a statement that this team could still deliver under pressure.
Reaves Delivers the Dagger
Fans who watched the finish know how defining it was. With 6.6 seconds remaining and the Lakers trailing 115-114, head coach Darvin Ham drew up a late isolation for Reaves. He took the inbound pass, attacked a double-team from Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert, and floated a 12-foot shot that dropped as time expired. The ball hung for a split second before touching the net, leaving the Target Center crowd in stunned silence.
“That was pure trust,” Reaves said afterward. “Coach put the ball in my hands, and I just wanted to make the play we needed.”
The moment quickly became one of the season’s most viral highlights, cementing Reaves’ growing reputation for clutch shotmaking.
Stepping Up Without the Stars
Reaves’ heroics capped off one of his most efficient all-around performances in a Lakers uniform. He posted 28 points and a career-high-tying 16 assists, controlling the pace from start to finish. With both James and Dončić out, Reaves has become Los Angeles’ primary scorer and facilitator, managing the offense with rhythm and composure.
The supporting cast responded well. D’Angelo Russell contributed 21 points and kept the Lakers steady when momentum swung late in the third quarter. Rui Hachimura provided 17 points and 10 rebounds, including a defensive stand on Karl-Anthony Towns that set up the final possession. Together, they delivered the kind of collective effort the Lakers have been searching for early in the season.
Timberwolves’ Comeback Falls Short
Minnesota nearly completed a 20-point comeback in the second half, rallying behind Julius Randle’s 33 points. With Anthony Edwards sidelined, Randle shouldered the scoring load, while McDaniels added 30 points in a breakout showing. Towns posted 22 points and 12 rebounds, giving the Timberwolves a late lead that vanished on the final play.
Despite their surge, turnovers and late defensive breakdowns cost Minnesota the game. Head coach Chris Finch credited his team’s fight, but admitted execution faltered at key moments. “We played hard enough to win,” Finch said, “but when you give a good team repeated chances, someone’s going to capitalize. Reaves did exactly that.”
A Breakout Week for Reaves
That night capped a remarkable run for Reaves, whose performance level has skyrocketed since the start of the season. Two nights earlier, he poured in a career-best 51 points against the Kings and followed it with 41 points versus the Trail Blazers. Through the first five games, he averaged over 33 points per contest and became the first Laker since Kobe Bryant to open a season with five straight games of 25 or more points.
Those numbers have elevated him from a promising role player to a reliable star. Teammates have consistently praised his composure and willingness to take on the load when others are unavailable.
“Reavo’s been unbelievable,” Russell said. “He’s carrying us, but he’s doing it in a way that lifts everybody else up.”
A Season-Shaping Moment
Looking back now, the win over Minnesota feels like more than just another regular-season result. It gave the Lakers a boost of confidence at a time when injuries and inconsistency had begun to test their early rhythm. Overcoming such long odds—both statistically and emotionally—reminded the roster of its depth and resolve.
Defensively, the Lakers closed that game as firmly as they have all season, forcing multiple stops down the stretch after surrendering 37 points in the third quarter. Ham called the performance “a turning point from a maturity standpoint,” citing how the group stayed composed despite Minnesota’s surge.
As the Lakers prepare for their upcoming stretch of games, that buzzer-beater remains a benchmark moment. It showed the value of trust, execution, and belief—qualities that define winning teams over an 82-game season.
Reaves’ floater in Minneapolis may have lasted less than a second on the game clock, but its impact on the Lakers’ trajectory continues to echo a week later.
