Austin Reaves delivered 41 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 122-108 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, following his career-high 51-point performance on Sunday.
Despite the scoring output, Reaves admitted the individual achievement was tempered by the defeat. “Nah… it’s not as sweet when you don’t win,” he said.
Reaves acknowledged the difficulty of competing on the second night of a back-to-back with a depleted roster. “Honestly, I think it just starts mentally trying to get yourself ready for the game. It’s not easy… we played hard enough to win. We just didn’t execute good enough,” he explained.
With seven players unavailable, including stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic, Reaves assumed primary ball-handling responsibilities. He praised Portland defenders Jrue Holiday and Toumani Camara, noting, “They have guys that could rotate. They know how to rotate on the backside… they play hard every game.”
Reaves also spoke about his growing leadership role on the team. “Since my rookie year, I’ve spoken a lot… it’s just trying to step up and speak about what I see. Having that coach on the court when things get tough is big for us,” he said.
The Lakers guard highlighted his chemistry with Deandre Ayton. “He’s been awesome, very receptive… we give him a voice, ask him what he likes, and try to make that work together,” Reaves said, emphasizing their connection in running the Lakers’ offense.
Reflecting on consecutive high-scoring nights, Reaves compared Sunday’s win to Monday’s loss. “Last night was fun because we won… didn’t sleep much, just talking to my brother, it was exciting. Tonight… it’s not as sweet when you don’t win,” he said.
Despite the defeat, Reaves remained positive about the team’s effort. “We played hard… this is why we play the game. It’s fun. You’ve got to figure it out, and that intensity is something we can build on,” he added.
The Lakers, now 2-2, travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, while Portland improves to 2-2 and will conclude their road trip in Salt Lake City against the Jazz.
