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[Saba Sports News] Los Angeles Lakers fan favorite Austin Reaves suffered a frightening fall during Friday’s NBA Cup game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Late in the second quarter, Reaves drove to the basket and was fouled by OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. While airborne, he was clipped by Gilgeous-Alexander and then made contact with Thunder big man Isaiah Hartenstein, causing Reaves to crash hard onto his back. He lay on the court in visible pain.
Despite the scary fall, Reaves stayed in the game to shoot his free throws and continued playing for about a minute, even attempting (and missing) a three-pointer. However, he left shortly afterward to head to the locker room and did not return before halftime.
The 26-year-old Reaves has gained a reputation for drawing fouls at a high rate, a skill that has helped him achieve a career-high 17.1 points per game this season.
However, it also subjects him to frequent physical punishment, with Friday’s hard landing being another tough example of the risks he faces.