Austin Reeves admits it’s tough when the stars are out

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves was the savior of the Lakers during their injury crisis, dropping 51 and 41 points on back-to-back nights. But even his heroics weren’t enough against the Portland Trail Blazers, as the Lakers fell 122-108 on Monday.

After the loss, Reaves opened up about the challenge shorthanded plays in back-to-back games, according to LakersNation’s Ryan Ward on social media.

“Honestly, I think it starts with mentally trying to prepare for the game. It’s not easy, but like I said, this is what we signed up for, so we have to figure it out. I thought we played hard enough with our intensity to win, but we just didn’t execute well enough,” Reaves said.

The Lakers had seven players suspended against the Blazers, including LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Gabe Vincent, Marcus Smart, Jackson Hayes, Maxi Kleber and Adu Tierro. That forced Reeves to play a big role as the main creator and scorer.

Reaves finished with 41 points on 13-22 shooting against Portland, adding five assists and three steals in 39 minutes. Just one night earlier, he scored a career-high 51 points with 11 rebounds and nine assists in a win over the Sacramento Kings.

The performance of 51 points was historic, putting Reaves in the Lakers club with 50 points. He got to the free throw line 21 times against the Kings and another 14 times against the Blazers, showing an ability to draw fouls under heavy usage.

Back to back shown Reaves’ ability to function as a true number one option. He averaged 46 points in two games, while remaining efficient from three-point range and attacking the basket. A 21-for-22 free-throw night against Sacramento highlighted his composure in crunch time.

With so many key players left out, Reaves will need to maintain this level for the foreseeable future. LeBron James is not expected until mid-November as it deals with sciatica. Doncic is from week to week with a sprained finger and a leg contusion, while Gabe Vincent will miss 2-4 weeks with a sprained ankle.

Marcus Smart and Jackson Hayes could return for the upcoming trip if their progress continues. Until then, Reaves will have to continue to carry this massive load as the Lakers’ offense runs almost entirely through him.

The early returners show how much pressure it puts on one player. Los Angeles is 2-2 through four games. Without their stars, the Lakers need Reaves to continue producing at an elite level just to stay competitive.