Rookie Reaves fires up Lakers with buzzer beater
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LOS ANGELES • The Los Angeles Lakers had their star trio on court on Wednesday night, but it was rookie Austin Reaves who was the unlikely hero in their 107-104 National Basketball Association (NBA) overtime road victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
The undrafted first-year pro, who impressed enough in the off-season to gain a two-year contract, drained a game-winning three-pointer as time expired to give the team a third straight win and improve to 16-13.
"There was about one second left, and I didn't have anything to do but shoot it," said Reaves, who made five of six three-point shots.
"Great pass, and I made a shot."
The 23-year-old was mobbed by teammates, including superstar LeBron James, who said the team had no hesitation in handing the ball to the relative unknown.
"Listen, we've got a lot of trust in whoever is on the floor, including the rook," he said.
"And, obviously, it showed on that last possession."
With a foul to give, the Mavericks tried to foul James, who managed to get the ball to Wayne Ellington.
Ellington passed it to Russell Westbrook, who moved it out to Reaves to knock down the shot to end a hard-fought game in Dallas.
The rest of the Lakers' 14 points in overtime came from their "Big Three" of James, Westbrook and Anthony Davis, a trio who have had little chance to gel this season thanks to injury absences.
James finished with 24 points. Westbrook scored 23 with 10 rebounds and nine assists and Davis added 20 points and 12 rebounds in his first game back after missing two with a sore left knee.
Jalen Brunson scored 25 points and Kristaps Porzingis netted 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Mavericks (14-14), whose star guard Luka Doncic missed a third straight game with left ankle trouble.
The Lakers were without three players - centre Dwight Howard, forward Talen Horton-Tucker and guard Malik Monk - who were sidelined by Covid-19 health protocols in a week in which the virus again became a major factor in the NBA and other American sports.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE