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[Saba Sports News] JJ Redick called for a superstar performance from Austin Reaves—and Reaves delivered in a big way.
With the Lakers severely shorthanded in Saturday’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers, Redick turned to Reaves to step up.
LeBron James and Luka Doncic were both out with injuries, new acquisition Mark Williams was still waiting for league clearance, and several key players—Anthony Davis, Dalton Knecht, and Max Christie—had just been traded.
Before the game, Redick told Reaves the Lakers needed a 38-8-8 stat line from him. Reaves went above and beyond.
He erupted for a career-high 45 points, adding 7 assists, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals while shooting 14-of-26 from the field and a perfect 13-of-13 from the free-throw line.
His historic night put him in elite company—Reaves became just the fourth Laker in the last 20 years to score 45+ points, joining LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Anthony Davis.
While Lakers fans eagerly await Doncic’s debut, Reaves gave them a glimpse of superstar-level play in the meantime.