Austin Reaves Scores 43 to Lead Lakers Over Pistons 121-116

Austin Reaves Scores 43 to Lead Lakers Over Pistons 121-116

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Austin Reaves scored a season-high 43 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 121-116 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

The performance came while Luka Doncic sat out due to low back tightness, according to the LA Times. Reaves, who has been playing a secondary role behind the Slovenian superstar, stepped into the primary scoring vacuum with four assists and five rebounds.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS vs DETROIT PISTONS | Austin Reaves | NBA | Highlights | Resumen

The Lakers (9-2) nearly lost after surrendering a 26-point second-quarter lead. Detroit mounted a massive second-half comeback fueled by 55 combined points from bench guards Daniss Jenkins and Kevin Huerter.

Reaves mimics Doncic on the court

Reaves appeared to adopt the persona of his teammate throughout the contest. He hit a difficult baseline fadeaway in the first quarter and followed it with a clutch step-back three-pointer with 44.5 seconds remaining to secure the win.

The guard also engaged with the crowd. When fans began heckling him during a stoppage in play, Reaves bent down to speak directly to them, a moment observed by Doncic from the sidelines.

“Sometimes when they’re playing together, AR kind of has to take a secondary role,” said center Walker Kessler. “But I mean, as you can see now, he’s very capable. He’s a heck of a playmaker, heck of a scorer and a competitor.”

Kessler contributed 12 points and 16 rebounds, including a three-point play that extended the Lakers' lead to eight with 2:15 left in the game.

Austin Reaves Is the BEST Second Option in the League | Lakers 121, Pistons 116

The impact of Doncic’s absence

While the Lakers managed the win, the absence of Doncic highlights a massive statistical gap in the lineup. Doncic is currently averaging a league-high 40.1 points per game. His estimated on/off rating of 37.7 is the second-highest in the league, trailing only Victor Wembanyama’s 41.5.

The loss of Doncic’s presence affects more than just scoring. He is also the team’s second-leading rebounder with 7.8 per game and second in steals with 1.7 per game.

Player Points Per Game Rebounds Per Game Steals Per Game
Luka Doncic 40.1 7.8 1.7
Austin Reaves 25.3 — —

Lakers coach JJ Redick noted that he did not anticipate the back tightness would heavily impact Doncic's availability throughout the season. The team has shown resilience in his absence before, specifically during an Oct. 28 victory over the Clippers when Doncic was also sidelined.

Detroit’s second-half surge

The Pistons, playing without All-NBA center Jalen Duren due to a hamstring injury, relied heavily on Daniss Jenkins to stay competitive. Jenkins scored 22 of his career-high 31 points in the first half, cutting the Lakers’ lead to 13 by halftime.

Los angeles ca jalen duren of the detroit pistons blocks austin reaves of the los angeles

Detroit’s momentum peaked in the third quarter when they orchestrated an 11-0 run. This stretch brought the Pistons within three points of the lead, capitalizing on four Lakers turnovers, including a shot clock violation.

Redick maintained the team’s rotation despite the momentum shift, citing a need for consistency. Reaves responded to the third-quarter drought by scoring 13 points in that period alone, including five consecutive points on fadeaway jumpers.

NO LUKA, NO PROBLEM 🔥 Austin Reaves DROPS 43 PTS in win vs. Pistons | NBA on ESPN

“It was 100% lucky,” Reaves said regarding his step-back three-pointer. “Honestly, when I stepped back and shot it, I was like, ‘this is some bull— Luka would shoot.’”

The Lakers’ supporting cast provided necessary depth to weather the Detroit run. Ziaire Williams contributed 17 points on four three-pointers, while Collin Sexton added 17 points as the secondary ball-handler.

Jarred Vanderbilt provided early energy with six rebounds and one block in under six minutes of play, helping build the initial 26-point cushion.

After hitting the final dagger shot, Reaves turned to the courtside fans and waved goodbye.

Austin Reaves Buries The Dagger & Waves Goodbye To Pistons Fans

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