The Los Angeles Lakers dropped Game 3 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and it was another struggle for Austin Reaves. He scored just 17 points on five of 13 shooting from the field and had five turnovers. The 6’5 guard has 14 turnovers after three games and is shooting just 18 of 45 from the field. Los Angeles is down 3-0, and the defending champs are showing why AR can’t be the Lakers' number two option moving forward.
Reaves missed nearly a month with a strained oblique. He came back in Game 5 of the first-round series against the Houston Rockets. Fans may be quick to excuse his struggles on this injury ramp up, but it has been a problem throughout his career.
The Lakers face a difficult decision this summer. His playoff struggles have complicated things. In his last 15 playoff games, Reaves averages 17.2 points on 41.8 percent shooting from the field and 27.7 percent on his threes. That is not good enough to be the second star on a championship squad.
Thunder are proving Austin Reaves isn’t good enough to be Lakers number two
AR averaged a career-high 23.3 points per game during the regular season. He looked like an All-Star before injuries set him back. The 6’5 guard is talented, but his warts are on full display in the playoffs.
He has struggled to make shots, turned the ball over too much, and had defensive issues. The Thunder continue to attack Reaves when LA is on defense, and it is crushing the purple and gold. The struggles on both ends have AR frustrated, and fans can see him taking it out on the officials. That only makes things worse for the Lakers.
Reaves knows he must be better. He wants a massive contract in the offseason. The 27-year-old could command $40 million per year. That is star money, but he isn’t offering that type of production in the most important games.
The Thunder aren’t going anywhere. San Antonio has elite talent and a swarming defense. The Lakers won’t be happy making the second round of the playoffs. They want to win a championship with Luka Doncic leading their roster. Los Angeles needs Reaves to be the number two in that scenario if they plan to pay him $40 million every year. It doesn’t look like he can do that in a series against the NBA’s elite.
The defense is the biggest problem. Fans know Reaves will make shots and can get buckets. He is rusty coming off the injury, but the 6’5 wing is a bucket. Can he hold up defensively? The Thunder have exploited him in this series, and it has always been a problem for AR.
The Los Angeles Lakers don’t want to admit Austin Reaves can’t be their second-best player, but the Thunder are showing them why. Even with AR dropping 31 points in Game 2, the Thunder outscored LA by 20 with him on the floor. They lost his minutes by 23 in the must-win Game 3 at home.
Reaves’ defense, ball-handling, and shooting have been problems. The Lakers want to win a championship, and that doesn’t look possible with AR as the number two. At least, Los Angeles found out before they paid him $200-plus million this summer.
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