The Los Angeles Lakers must get healthy if they want to remain in the hunt in the Western Conference.
The franchise was without LeBron James, Maxi Kleber, Luka Doncic, Adou Thiero, Marcus Smart, and Gabe Vincent against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night, resulting in a 122-108 home loss.
However, it hasn’t been all bad for the depleted 17-time champions, as their 27-year-old starting shooting guard recently made history in Los Angeles.
“Austin Reaves has 92 points in his last two games,” Real Sports revealed on X/Twitter Tuesday. “That’s the most by a Laker on back-to-back nights since Kobe Bryant in 2007.”
Reaves has been on a tear with the Lakers’ top-2 scoring options, Doncic and James, not being in the Lakers’ lineup due to separate injuries.
Reaves has had no choice but to put Los Angeles on his back and lead the way offensively, and the Oklahoma product has done just that.
A day after dropping 51 points against the Lakers in a 127-120 victory over the Kings, Reaves poured in 41 points against the Trail Blazers in a 14-point defeat.
With Doncic and James expected to miss more time on the hardwood, it shouldn’t be surprising for fans to witness Reaves orchestrate multiple additional 20+ point performances with a Lakers squad that isn’t where they need to be health-wise.
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