The Los Angeles Lakers struggled offensively on Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks, but they had an unlikely hero in the end.
Rookie guard Austin Reaves hit the game-winning 3-pointer with less than a second left in overtime, and his teammates were ecstatic for him.
AUSTIN. TYLER. REAVES. https://t.co/Tn1qCRWECB
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) December 16, 2021
Reaves went undrafted in this summer’s NBA draft, and he ended up signing with the Lakers. Much like Alex Caruso a couple of years ago, Reaves has turned into a diamond in the rough and a key role player.
On Wednesday against Dallas, he hit 5-of-6 from downtown and added seven rebounds and two assists.
LeBron James contributed 24 points, while Russell Westbrook just missed a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Both teams were shorthanded for this contest. Dallas was without superstar Luka Doncic, and L.A. was missing Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard and Malik Monk, all of whom are in the league’s health and safety protocols.
The Lakers are now 16-13, and after a frustrating start to the season, they may be starting to build a little bit of momentum.
