Lebron James Had Fired-up Message After Austin Reaves Dropped 51 Points In Lakers' Win

Have a night, Austin Reaves!

The Lakers were without their 2 superstars, Luka Dončić and LeBron James, connected Sunday night, but Reaves put nan squad connected his backmost and led them to a 127–120 triumph complete nan Kings. With Dončić missing clip owed to a sprained digit and little limb contusion and James retired because of sciatica, Reaves scored a career-high 51 points to thief gain nan win.

Reaves astir recorded a triple-double pinch 51 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists successful nan game, which moved nan Lakers to 2–1 connected nan season. He bested his erstwhile crippled precocious of 45 points, and followed up back-to-back 40-point games from Doncic pinch a 50-point crippled of his own. Over nan first 2 games of nan season, Reaves scored a mixed 51 points, a tally he matched connected Sunday nighttime alone.

The Lakers were thrilled for Reaves, pinch his teammates swarming him aft nan buzzer hit. James was among those excited, penning connected X, "50 portion nugget!!!!! That boy AR TOOOO TOUGH!!"

James additionally posted connected X pinch aggregate laughing emojis, "Damn that’s crazy we almost had backmost to backmost 50 balls. Damnit Don! ! Sick backmost court!"

Head coach JJ Redick besides sung nan praises of Reaves aft nan game, saying, "He was fantastic. Did a small spot of everything for america tonight, each complete nan place. Scored nan hoops astatine an unthinkable level. His tenacity to compete. It's truthful evident each azygous time he's successful nan gym and he conscionable loves competition, he thrives connected competition."

With this performance, Reaves joined James, Anthony Davis, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant arsenic nan 5th Lakers subordinate this period to people astatine slightest 50 points successful a game.

"I grew up watching each those guys," Reaves said aft nan win. "I ain't sewage nary words. Some of nan champion players to ever play nan game."

Since Dončić and James are slated to miss much time, nan Lakers will apt proceed to thin connected Reaves successful nan adjacent future. The Lakers will adjacent play nan Trail Blazers connected Monday.

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