The Los Angeles Lakers started their chase of an 18th NBA Championship off on a great foot on Sunday as the team took Game 1 on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies, 128-112. Among several key standouts was everyone’s fan favorite, Austin Reaves.
Reaves bookended a great game for Lake Show in what goes down as the first playoff game of his career (play-in be damned). After scoring seven of the team’s first 11 points to start the game, Reaves made sure to emphatically shut the door on the Grizzlies in the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles led 111-109 with less than four minutes to play when Reaves went to work. The 2021 undrafted free agent drained a midrange pull-up, a lay-up, a three and another midrange pull-up all in succession. By the end of Reaves’ 12 consecutive points, the Lakers led 120-112.
The former Oklahoma Sooner finished with 23 points, four assists and three rebounds. He shot 8-13 from the field, 3-5 from three and 4-4 from the free-throw line. Did we mention that this guy wasn’t even drafted?
Oh, and if that was not enough, Reaves being mic’d up for his fantastic fourth quarter makes it even better.
https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1647715262131576832
Austin Reaves channeled his inner Kobe Bryant for the Lakers.
Reaves has not been shy in sharing how much Kobe Bryant and the Lakers meant to him growing up. If Kobe was still here to watch this he would have been incredibly proud of how Reaves rose to the occasion and took a huge game in Memphis for the Lake Show.
Reaves gained prominence when he first joined the Lakers for his ‘Hillbilly Kobe’ nickname (which he has since tried to shed). It is going to be hard to shed that nickname when he is putting together playoff games like this, especially when he also gave his own version of the infamous Kobe face without even realizing it.
HILLBILLY KOBE GOIN OFF. pic.twitter.com/c4RsSyDXZh
— Ryan Hammer🔨 (@ryanhammer09) April 16, 2023
While it was an excellent playoff debut for the young fan favorite, we all know that Reaves is sharing the same sentiment that his idol would have in this moment. This is just the first game of a seven-game series and there are only three words that are likely on Reaves’ mind.
Job’s not finished.