During his revelatory 2022-23 campaign, Austin Reaves rose from a key bench player to a consistent starter for the Los Angeles Lakers. His scoring, outside shooting, playmaking and overall grit were major factors in their unexpected trip to the Western Conference finals.
After the first couple of weeks this season, he was moved to the bench, and for a while, it seemed to benefit the team. But it has lost eight of its last 11 games, and fans have been complaining that he hasn’t been playing enough minutes.
Against the Miami Heat on Wednesday evening, Reaves will be returning to L.A.’s starting lineup.
Starters tonight: Reaves, Prince, Reddish, LeBron and AD.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 4, 2024
Perhaps this move will rectify the slow starts that have been plaguing the Lakers for much of this season. They rank 29th in first quarter net rating, and playing from behind so often has seemingly taken a toll on them.
