Austin Reaves career highs: Running through best games of Lakers guard's career

Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves has produced one of the best success stories in the NBA. Reaves transferred from Wichita State to Oklahoma in college, went undrafted at 23 years of age, and worked his way up from a two-way contract to a four-year, $53.8 million deal.

In a span of three seasons, Reaves has become the ultimate example of how little it actually matters where a player is drafted—if they're drafted at all.

This past season, the 26-year-old shooting guard justified the Lakers' investment in him with his best season to date. He set career-best marks in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and three-point field goals made per game while maintaining a high level of efficiency.

More specifically, Reaves averaged 15.9 points, 5.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 1.9 three-point field goals made on .486/.367/.853 shooting in 2023-24.

Reaves will now enter his fourth NBA season with the expectation of raising his game to an even higher level. There's ample reason to believe he'll do so, as his production has increased across the board throughout each of his three years with the Lakers.

In terms of what his ceiling may actually be, Reaves' impressive career-highs offer intriguing insight into what his peak form may ultimately look like.

Points: 35 vs. Orlando Magic - March 19, 2023

Through three seasons in Los Angeles, Reaves' calling card has been his ability to create offense. Whether he's utilizing his dynamic handle to break a defender down and get to the rim or finding an open man in a position to score, Reaves has flashed the potential to be a walking bucket.

The best scoring performance of his NBA run thus far transpired on March 19, 2023, when he dropped a career-high 35 points in a 111-105 win over the Orlando Magic.

It was one of three 30-point games that Reaves has recorded thus far. In this personal-best effort, he added six assists and six rebounds while shooting 9-of-14 from the field and converting an absurd 16 free throws as Orlando's defense had no answer for what he brought to the table.

This past season, he nearly matched his career-high by scoring 32 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field—a performance that will be revisited.

Rebounds: 16 vs. Denver Nuggets - April 10, 2022

In what may have been the best performance of his NBA career thus far, Reaves dominated the glass with 16 rebounds in a 146-141 overtime win over the Denver Nuggets. Based on how badly the Lakers have struggled against Denver in recent seasons, it's a game flush with fond memories.

Reaves not only pulled down every board in sight, but recorded his first career triple-double with 31 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals, and a block—during his rookie season, no less.

Reaves recorded his second career triple-double this past season, posting 29 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists, and two blocks in a 128-124 double-overtime victory against the Milwaukee Bucks. The game against Denver, however, was something of a coming-out party.

Ever since he went off against Denver in 2022, Reaves has steadily developed into one of the best and most important players on the Lakers' roster.

Assists: 14 vs. Denver Nuggets - March 2, 2024

In case you're sensing a theme, it's confirmed that Reaves is one of the few Lakers who has played well against the Nuggets in recent years. In addition to setting his career-high in rebounding against Los Angeles' rival in 2022, he set a personal best in assists against Denver in 2024.

The Lakers ultimately lost the game 124-114, but Reaves did everything in his power to swing the result in the opposite direction.

Reaves finished the clash with the Nuggets with 19 points, 14 assists, and two rebounds. He shot 7-of-12 from the field, 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and knocked down both of his free throw attempts while committing just two turnovers.

Reaves' highlights primarily consist of him crossing players up and scoring in an aesthetically pleasing manner, but his playmaking may be his most valuable skill.

Blocks: 3 vs. Toronto Raptors - April 2, 2024

Lakers players have a long history of setting career highs against the Toronto Raptors. Reaves carried that tradition on by setting his personal best in-game mark for blocks against Toronto, swatting three shots on April 2, 2024.

It was a tough showing for Reaves from a scoring perspective, but his defensive prowess and facilitating helped Los Angeles emerge victorious in Toronto.

Reaves finished with seven points, six assists, four rebounds, and three blocks as the Lakers secured a 128-111 road win. Three other Lakers scored at least 20 points and five were in double-figures, but Reaves' defensive contributions shouldn't be overlooked.

Reaves is known for his offense, but this crucial game down the closing stretch of the 2023-24 season was won in large part to his willingness to contribute in other areas when his shot wasn't falling.

Steals: 3 (x5)

Reaves has reached his career-high of three steals in a game on five different occasions. He initially set the mark as a rookie when he recorded 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocks in a 124-116 win over the Golden State Warriors on March 5, 2022.

Reaves turned it into overdrive this past season, recording three games with at least three steals, starting with the 15 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and three swipes he dropped in a 130-125 overtime victory against the LA Clippers on November 1, 2023.

Less than three weeks later, Reaves tallied 19 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals in a 131-99 win over the Utah Jazz on November 21, 2023. It took less than two weeks for him to do it again, as he posted 18 points and three steals in a 107-97 victory against the Houston Rockets on December 2, 2023.

Reaves rounded the season out with 22 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and three steals in a 138-122 win over Utah on February 14, 2024.

It's no coincidence that Reaves also set a career-best mark in steals per game in 2023-24.

Three-Point Field Goals Made: 7 (x2)

Reaves set and then matched his career-high in three-point field goals made in a single game during the 2023-24 campaign. He also set a new career-high in three-point field goals made per game and total threes converted in a single season.

It was the best shooting season of Reaves' career from a volume perspective, and his efficiency was respectable at 36.7 percent.

Reaves first set his career-high by draining seven three-point field goals during a 114-105 win over the Boston Celtics, during which he scored a season-high 32 points. Just over a month later, he dropped 28 points while knocking down another seven threes in a 120-107 loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Reaves has increased his per 36 numbers in three-point shooting in every season he's played, and the 2024-25 season should continue that trend.