Close Menu
Demo

Austin Reaves’ game-winner helps Lakers fend off Timberwolves – San Bernardino Sun

adminBy Sports No Comments11 Mins Read


1 of 23

Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) celebrates with his teammates after making the game-winning shot as time expired in their 116-115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. Reaves finished with a team-high 28 points and matched his career high with 16 assists as the Lakers squandered a 20-point lead before winning on Reaves’ clutch 12-foot floater in the lane. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Expand

MINNEAPOLIS — His teammates sprinted off the Lakers’ bench and onto the court at Target Center to embrace him in celebration.

Jake LaRavia, who was leading the team in scoring until the final second of Wednesday night’s game between the Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves, interrupted his ESPN postgame interview with a hug.

He roared as he walked off the Timberwolves’ home court, through the tunnel on his way back to the Lakers’ locker room.

Because for the second time in four days, when his team needed him the most in light of being depleted and without two of its top stars because of injuries, Austin Reaves delivered, this time with a 12-foot game-winning floater over Donte DiVincenzo’s outstretched left arm as time expired to lift the Lakers to a 116-115 win over the Timberwolves.

“That guy is going to show up in the big moments. I’m not surprised,” Coach JJ Redick said. “He’s done that many times in his career. He has done that many times since I’ve been his coach. I feel very comfortable with him making decisions late [in the] game.”

Austin Reaves (28 points, 16 assists) with the game-winner for the Lakers, securing a 116-115 win over the Timberwolves at Target Center.

— Khobi Price (@khobiprice.bsky.social) 2025-10-30T04:22:21.729Z

Despite subpar shooting efficiency (9 for 24), Reaves once again stepped up and carrier a heavier offensive load.

He scored a team-best 28 points, matched his career high with 16 assists and added two steals.

And his final two points were the most crucial.

Reaves dribbled in between Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (30 points, seven rebounds) and center Rudy Gobert (nine points, six rebounds) out of a pick and roll with Deandre Ayton (17 points, 10 rebounds, three assists) to create the opening he needed to knock down the game-winner.

“That one felt good,” Reaves said. “I mean, for obvious reasons, we won. But last time we were in this building, I have [a] shot to tie it in the corner in Game 4 (of their first-round playoff series last spring), and missed. Let me tell you, that feeling sucks.”

Reaves added: “Even though I struggled offensively, putting the ball in the basket, we didn’t let that frustrate us. [My teammates] kept hooping and encouraging me to go do what I do.”

And lately, what Reaves has done is lead the Lakers in light of Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent being sidelined with injuries.

“He’s a dog,” said LaRavia, who finished with 27 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field. “He’s a leader. He’s a competitor. He helps rally us together in all the tough times during a game. And he’s been leading us, you know, these last couple [of] games that players have been out, and he’s gonna keep on doing that.”

Reaves’ game-winner came three nights after he scored a career-high 51 points in the Lakers’ road win over the Sacramento Kings and nearly recorded a triple-double, and two days after he scored 41 points in Monday’s home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers for the third 40-point game of his NBA career.

“To me, he’s established himself as a bad dude,” Redick said of Reaves. “He did that last year. I think league-wide, he was viewed as a really good player. Maybe some people viewed him – what tier he is, I don’t know. I don’t care about that. But last year, I think he established himself as a bad dude.

“For me, I think the big thing is he’s established himself as the leader. He’s one of the leaders – or the leader – on the court.  And that’s big time. That’s what we want. That’s what we need from him, and he’s done that.”

But Reaves’ game-winner wouldn’t have come without help from the supporting cast – and the Lakers blowing a 20-point lead they held late in the fourth quarter.

LaRavia, the 23-year-old, fourth-year forward who signed with the Lakers as a free agent during the offseason, scored 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the third quarter to help the Lakers open a 95-75 lead that shrunk to 97-86 before the quarter ended.

The scoring total from LaRavia was the most of his brief time with the Lakers. LaRavia finished five points short of the career-high 32 points he scored on April 10, 2024, while he was with the Memphis Grizzlies.

“It’s very early in his Laker career, but clearly his best game as a Laker,” Redick said. “I am really happy for him. For Jake as a Laker, this game is a reference point. Not only for the offense. Two out of the last three games, he’s been phenomenal defensively. His activity level of deflections.”

Rui Hachimura scored 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting to go with five rebounds and four assists, while Dalton Knecht scored 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting off the bench. Jarred Vanderbilt grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds (six offensive) to go with four assists and three points.

But the Timberwolves, who were without star guard Anthony Edwards, continued to hang around.

After Reaves assisted Ayton on a 12-foot floater that gave the Lakers a 114-106 lead with just over three minutes left, Minnesota went on a 9-0 run to take a 115-114 lead after Julius Randle (game-high 33 points, six assists) made a layup with 10.2 seconds left.

“I’m going to be honest with you, it wasn’t much of an emotional rollercoaster for me, and I don’t think it was for our guys, either,” Redick said. “There was no break in composure. There was no break in competitive spirit. There was no break in belief of whether or not we could win the game.”

And Reaves’ competitive spirit has been on full display the entire week with the Lakers being short-handed, culminating with the second buzzer-beater and third game-winner of his career.

“We wouldn’t have been in that position if it [weren’t] for everybody that chipped in,” Reaves said.

The Lakers will conclude their two-game trip against the Grizzlies on Friday.

“I’m so proud of this group right now, honestly,” Redick said. “From where we were three weeks ago, where we’re discombobulated and guys are missing training camp and guys are modified participants, we’re starting to come together.

“I’ve asked a lot. I’ve asked a lot of these guys and I’m asking a lot of them while we’re undermanned and they’re delivering. They earned this victory.”





Source link

Keep Reading

Add A Comment
Leave A Reply