On Mar. 5, the Los Angeles Lakers were looking to make a furious push toward what they hoped would be a spot in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. But they had recently lost LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell to injuries, and they were facing the defending world champion Golden State Warriors, who had just gotten Stephen Curry back from an ailment of his own.
They badly needed someone to step up, not only in terms of scoring, but also in the playmaking department. The emerging Austin Reaves was happy to help.
He scored 16 points on 5-of-9 overall shooting and 3-of-5 from 3-point range, and he also dished off a season-high eight assists while adding one steal and one blocked shot. With his help, Los Angeles knocked off Curry and company, 113-105 in a very surprising win.
It was the start of a remarkable March for the undrafted guard that would eventually earn him a spot in L.A.’s starting lineup and earn the team a spot in the postseason.
