DALLAS — The percentages of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Austin Reaves even being in an NBA uniform on Wednesday evening, not to mention on the court docket in time beyond regulation and trusted to hit the game-winning 3 to beat the Mavericks 107-104, have been astronomical.
All 30 groups handed on him on draft evening, and the two-way contract he signed with L.A. was solely transformed to a full-fledged roster spot after the Lakers suffered accidents throughout coaching camp.
And whereas he’d earned coach Frank Vogel’s belief up up to now within the season, the primary motive Reaves was logging 9½ minutes within the fourth quarter on Wednesday plus the complete 5 minutes of time beyond regulation was as a result of L.A. had little different alternative. Over the previous 48 hours, the staff was depleted from a string of gamers and workers members getting into into the league’s well being and security protocols.
When Reaves acquired the go from Russell Westbrook and let it fly from the fitting wing with 1.0 second left within the additional session, nevertheless, the context was inconsequential. He was a basketball participant doing what he has finished for so long as he has performed the sport.
“I imply, it is principally been the story of my life,” Reaves mentioned afterward. “I’ve at all times been underrated. Did not go to a giant highschool, so did not get recruited a lot, however on the finish of the day, you bought to supply on the basketball court docket and for me to hit that shot, for my teammates to have the belief in me to take that shot may be very, very particular.”
The shot gave Reaves 15 factors for the sport, setting a brand new profession excessive in scoring, and was his fifth made 3-pointer in six makes an attempt. It prompted his teammates, future Corridor of Famers and All-Stars amongst them, to mob the 23-year-old from Arkansas close to midcourt after Dallas’ Reggie Bullock could not get his desperation 3 off earlier than the ultimate buzzer.
Anthony Davis put Reaves in a headlock. Westbrook tussled his hair. When the group made it again to the locker room, LeBron James offered him with the sport ball, and DeAndre Jordan snuck up behind Reaves to dump a bucket of ice water on the rookie to have a good time.
“Simply the real nature of the fellows,” Reaves mentioned when requested what caught out concerning the second. “You do not see that a lot, particularly with the kind of guys that now we have on this staff — six Corridor of Famers after which all the fellows which were within the league for 10-12 years. So, actually simply the genuineness of it’s simply particular.
“I am misplaced for phrases. I imply, I’ve grown up watching all of those guys play, so for them to … for me to even simply be teammates with them is particular.”
It was an outright exhibit of exuberance for a Lakers staff that hasn’t had a lot to really feel nice about this season. The rash of optimistic COVID-19 checks that hit the staff this week — making Dwight Howard, Talen Horton-Tucker and Malik Monk, in addition to assistant coach Phil Useful and play-by-play broadcaster Invoice Macdonald unavailable — solely appeared to suit that development.
However with the flick of the wrist, Reaves saved some momentum alive for the Lakers, who’ve now gained six of their previous eight video games.
“It hasn’t gone as everybody else has hoped it will,” James mentioned of the Lakers’ season, now 16-13 and No. 6 within the West. “It is gone as the way it’s gone. You exit and also you play the sport and also you wish to be higher. You wish to be higher each single day. We wish to proceed to work our habits, proceed do what we acquired to do to be nice each evening. So, we’re who we’re as a staff. We acquired a whole lot of accidents, a whole lot of combined lineups. Clearly guys in protocols and false protocols, issues of that nature.
“So, we’re what we’re as a staff proper now and we like the place we’re at.”
James’ reply took on the identical matter-of-fact tone that Reaves’ did when requested about James lighting into him in a timeout when the Mavs hit a 3 shortly earlier than his big-time shot.
“The dialogue was that I tousled on protection,” Reaves mentioned of the extreme dialog. “I did not get to the shooter, or no matter. He made the shot. However, I imply, it is basketball. The opposite staff is attempting to realize one thing, too. So, issues go unsuitable, issues go proper, however I do not assume so. I attempt to simply keep level-headed all through the whole lot no matter who I am taking part in or what teammate I am taking part in with. I feel it is sort of simply my nature and my mentality is simply even-keeled. By no means too excessive, by no means too low.”
If there was one excessive level to this Lakers season up to now although, it has been their efficiency in crunch time. Reaves shot pushed their document in time beyond regulation to 5-1.
“All year long, there will likely be ups and downs, however in the end, when the sport’s on the road, now we have guys within the locker room that may make performs on the finish of the sport,” mentioned Westbrook. “It is a good feeling to know that, trying to the left and trying to the fitting, that guys can shut and end video games when we have to.”
