For the fifth time this season, the Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of a multi-game slide. The current slump, taking the form of a three-game losing streak, has included two losses by at least 21 points and a painful inability to close out potential wins.
As the Lakers search for answers, one player is taking the lead as far as accountability and general self-reflection are concerned: Austin Reaves.
Reaves, 26, has taken a significant step forward on the offensive end of the floor in 2024-25. He's averaging a career-best 17.9 points and 6.2 assists per game, up from his previous highs of 15.9 points and 5.5 assists per contest.
Unfortunately, Reaves and the Lakers have been prone to bouts of inconsistency—and the fourth-year guard acknowledged exactly that.
Austin Reaves on what the Lakers have to do to get back on track defensively tonight against Miami: “It starts with me. I’ve been s—ty the last three games. I’ve got to be better”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 15, 2025
The path to improvement isn't quite as obvious as one might hope, but Reaves taking accountability for his shortcomings is a sign that the players are aware of what's gone wrong.
Austin Reaves takes accountability for "s----y" play on defense
Reaves has taken yet another leap forward since returning from a five-game absence at the beginning of December. Over the past 13 games, he's tallied averages of 19.6 points, 8.0 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.6 three-point field goals made per game.
Unfortunately, after winning seven of the first 10 games during that stretch, the Lakers have since gone 1-3.
Reaves could easily rest on the fact that he's been one of the most important and productive offensive players on the Lakers. His play as both a scorer and facilitator has been essential to team success, especially when one factors in the lack of depth in the playmaking department.
Instead, Reaves is taking ownership of the weakness that's holding him back from taking the next step toward All-Star status.
The obvious context here is that Los Angeles has struggled on defense throughout the 2024-25 season. It ranks 24th in defensive rating, 26th in opponent field goal percentage, and 28th in points allowed in the paint.
Accountability has to start somewhere, however, and Reaves calling himself out in an indisputibly direct way is a promising sign.
There is some reason for optimism, as the Lakers have improved on defense during the aforementioned 13-game stretch. During that time, they've allowed 113.4 points per 100 possessions, which ranks 19th in the NBA but is also 2.3-points better than their full-season mark of 115.7.
One can only hope that Reaves' comments will be a catalyst to overcoming the current three-game slide and returning to the form they've otherwise displayed over the past 13 games.