For a few minutes late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Orlando Magic, it looked as though the Los Angeles Lakers were about to lose their third contest in a row and their fourth in their last five.
After taking a sizable lead in the second quarter, they let Orlando make the game competitive, and down the stretch the contest grew very tight.
That is when Austin Reaves went from good to great.
He was already having a standout game, but he scored L.A.’s last 10 points, giving him 35 on the night, a career high. Reaves also had six rebounds and six assists to help the Lakers come out on top, 111-105.
The Lakers’ emerging second-year undrafted wing got plenty of love from fans on Twitter afterward.
Austin Reaves in one night
Saved the Los Angeles Lakers season
Saved Anthony Davis’s career
Saved millions & millions of LAL fans mental health
Set a career high in pointsI speak for everyone, thank you AR pic.twitter.com/cyOVpT12Dq
— ⁶ (@TaIkContext) March 20, 2023
THIS MAN, AUSTIN REAVES MAY HAVE POTENTIALLY SAVED THE LAKERS SEASON WHEN EVERYTHING WAS ON THE LINE!!!
MVP #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/y4JlkuGpjK
— 🎗NBA•Fan🎗 (@Klutch_Klient23) March 20, 2023
Austin Reaves to AD after carrying the Lakers pic.twitter.com/mF9MlJHDwy
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) March 20, 2023
LeBron giving Austin Reaves his favorite durag after the Lakers game pic.twitter.com/7ECR1SHCGD
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) March 20, 2023
Austin Reaves really got a fresh fade and turned into Michael Jordan pic.twitter.com/wwXvDS1dUp
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) March 20, 2023
Austin Reaves just saved AD out of absolute hell. pic.twitter.com/d2bCgsJlAu
— ⁶ (@TaIkContext) March 20, 2023
AUSTIN REAVES IS THE MVP pic.twitter.com/p5BPcjPpGe
— The Laker Files (@LakerFiles) March 20, 2023
Austin Reaves been HIM. Austin Reaves in 30 mints off the bench finish with a
game high 34 points (64%), 15-17 from the free throw line, 6 assist & 6 rebounds. He played dominate on both ends of the court REAVES HAS ARRIVED pic.twitter.com/1TQY2UOtKj— (Raquel) KB💜💛 (@SOULbeautifulme) March 20, 2023
Austin Reaves saved Anthony Davis’s legacy with all due respect
— Mark Jackson’s Burner (@casualtakeking) March 20, 2023
This is Austin Reaves’s team until Bron gets back
— Masked 🎭 (@MaskedInLA) March 20, 2023
Don't put Alex Caruso's name in the same sentence as Austin Reaves' ever again.
Debate over.
— LakersSpin (@LakersSpin) March 20, 2023
you SWITCH Austin Reaves for Jordan Poole this season, the warriors wouldve been a 4-3 seed right now.
Even if JP avg more ppg than him AR is still better at:
Playing making ✅
Rebounding ✅
Defense ✅
IQ ✅
less TO ✅
Assisting ✅Warriors been lacking of all that atm. pic.twitter.com/wQfRdWjd8n
— ADHD (@ADHDGoat) March 20, 2023
I am afraid Austin Reaves has passed Alex Caruso as the greatest Laker ever since Kobe… pic.twitter.com/HujctZjwyc
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) March 20, 2023
Austin Reaves needs to start over Beasley pretty comfortably moving forward. Rest of the season I get it.
— Ry (@JustRyCole) March 20, 2023
Lakers better not let Austin Reaves go. I swear man…
— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) March 20, 2023
Jokic who? Embiid who? Austin Reaves is my MVP😭😭😭
— ²³𝙻𝚎𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚜🏀☄️🌎💞 (@BronGotGame) March 20, 2023
