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[Saba Sports News] The Los Angeles Lakers’ season came to a disappointing end on Wednesday, and Austin Reaves isn’t shying away from accountability.
The Lakers fell 103-96 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series at Crypto.com Arena, with Rudy Gobert dominating the night with 27 points and 24 rebounds to close out the series.
Reaves struggled in the elimination game, scoring just 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting in 41 minutes—his lowest output and worst shooting performance of the series. After the game, he admitted he didn’t deliver when it mattered most.
**“I really just think we didn’t play good. Credit to Minnesota but … you can point the finger at me, I didn’t play good enough to help us be successful,”** Reaves said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
He wasn’t alone in falling short, as the Lakers as a whole were outplayed. One glaring issue was rebounding: Minnesota outrebounded L.A. 54-37, with Gobert overwhelming the Lakers’ undersized frontcourt.
Despite acquiring Luka Doncic nearly three months ago, the Lakers’ interior struggles persisted—issues that ultimately cost them in the series. For Reaves and the rest of the roster, the early exit brings a bitter offseason and unanswered questions.