Just because it wasn’t the moment everyone expected, it was still a moment nonetheless. A basketball season is 82 chances for a player or a team to do something special, whether it’s the first time Luka Doncic and LeBron James play together as teammates or whether it’s a random Saturday game without either of them.
In anticipation that Saturday would be that first moment for James and Doncic, ESPN flexed the game into a national broadcast only to see them on the end of the Lakers’ bench, both in sweats. Even center Mark Williams, the Lakers’ other key deadline acquisition, wasn’t available, his trade to the team still pending.
Austin Reaves, battling a handful of injuries himself, stepped into that void and made the most out of a moment for himself, playing one of his best games in a 124-117 win against the Pacers.
Reaves scored a career-high 45 points, dancing past the defense on the perimeter, hitting from deep, getting to the free-throw line and even slamming home a two-handed dunk. Playing with a sore left elbow along with hip and back pain from a fall against Golden State, Reaves took on the high-volume role that likely won’t be there for him come Monday when Doncic is expected to debut and James should be back after being ruled out early Saturday because of ankle soreness.
Rui Hachimura scored 24 points to go with nine rebounds on his 27th birthday, punctuating the game with a big dunk to seal the win.
The Lakers led 44-22 after a nearly perfect first quarter, the team getting key minutes from two-way players like Trey Jemison III and newly signed guard Jordan Goodwin.
The Lakers’ roster crunch on Saturday had veteran Markieff Morris and his teammates counting the lockers with uniforms in them, the team trying to figure out whether or not Jemison would need to be active so the Lakers could have the minimum amount of players in uniform. Jemison scored six of his eight points in the first half. And Goodwin, forced into fourth-quarter work because Gabe Vincent finished the game on the bench with ice on his left shoulder, scored 10 points in his first NBA game this season.
Indiana made several second-half pushes, but the Lakers and Reaves never backed down, the team holding on to win for the 11th time in its last 13 games.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Read the full article here