Lakers news: Austin Reaves imagines LeBron, Luke’s game-winner message

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reeves delivered another outstanding performance On Wednesday night, capping it off with a game-winning shot to lift his short-handed team to the 116-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

After the win, Reaves joked about how his star teammates LeBron James and Luka Dončić could react to his performance as they continue to recover from their injuries.

“They’re probably going to tell me I’m bad because I missed about 14 shots,” Reaves told ESPN’s Jorge Sedan after the game. “Bring back my brother and LeBron. Bring back everyone.”

Despite his light-hearted commentary, Reaves’ efforts have carried the Lakers through a long stretch without their two franchise cornerstones. The 27-year-old guard finished the night with 28 points, a career-high 16 assists, two steals and one rebound while shooting 9-for-24 from the field, 3-for-11 from three and 7-for-7 from the free throw line in 40 minutes of action.

“They’ll probably tell me I’m bad.” 😂

Austin Reeves on what LeBron and Luca will say to him after his win over the Timberwolves. pic.twitter.com/Ol2vBBLM6i

— ESPN (@espn) October 30, 2025

Reaves’ game-winner against Minnesota marked his third straight performance. On Sunday, he had a career-high 50 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in a 128-120 win over the Sacramento Kings, shooting 12-for-22 from the field, 6-for-10 from three and 21-for-22 from the free throw line. One night later, he followed with 41 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals in a 122-108 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.

Austin Reaves keeps the Lakers steady as LeBron James, Luka Doncic return in November

Through five games this season, Reaves is averaging 34.2 points10 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 52.5 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three and 89.7 percent from the line. His spike in points has helped keep Los Angeles competitive while James and Doncic remain on the sidelines.

James has yet to make an appearance this season as he continues to recover from a sciatica injury that kept him out of practice. The Lakers announced before the season that the 40-year-old would be re-evaluated in three to four weeks as he rehabs nerve irritation in his glute. Doncic, meanwhile, is dealing with a sprained left finger and bruised leg that has kept him out of the lineup for the past three games. Both stars are he is expected to return in November.

Reaves’ leadership drew praise from head coach JJ Reddick, who noted his quarterback’s composure and playfulness stabilized the offense amid injuries to its top two ball-handlers. The Lakers improved to 3-2 with Wednesday’s win, maintaining their position in the Western Conference standings despite early struggles.

Los Angeles will look to continue their momentum Friday night when they host the Memphis Grizzlies (3-2) at 9:30 PM ET on Prime Video. The Lakers then return home on Sunday to face the Miami Heat (3-1), who currently boast the league’s leading offense at 131.5 points per game through the first two weeks of the season.

With James and Doncic nearing their return next month, Reaves’ emergence as a reliable scorer and facilitator has given the Lakers confidence that they can withstand the early challenges while they await the return of their full roster.