Austin Reaves described his career-high 51-point performance in Sunday’s 127-120 win over the Sacramento Kings as a team effort, saying he focused on helping the Lakers rather than chasing personal milestones.
“First quarter I didn’t start off great…you just stick with it, especially on a night where you don’t have Luka, you don’t have Bron, you don’t have Jaxson,” Reaves said, noting the importance of stepping up for the team.
He credited his teammates for their support throughout the game. “It’s special. We spend so much time together…you build lifetime relationships with these guys,” Reaves said about the locker room celebration after the win.
Reaves joked about his friendly rivalry with Luka Doncic after surpassing 50 points. “I texted him this morning…towards the end he was like, ‘I need 60 tonight.’ I’m definitely holding that one over his head,” he said.
Reflecting on his performance, Reaves emphasized the collective effort. “Not just myself, but everybody played a hell of a game. DA was monstrous on the glass…a lot of guys stepped up,” he said, highlighting contributions from Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia.
Reaves said moments like Deandre Ayton’s putback dunk in the fourth quarter were particularly meaningful. “I was at half court screaming…that’s what we need. We encourage him every day to be that,” he said.
The Lakers built an early 10-point lead in the first quarter, with Rui Hachimura scoring 10 points and Ayton and Smart adding seven each. Sacramento tied the game at halftime after making seven 3-pointers in the second quarter, but Reaves’ 15 points in the fourth kept Los Angeles ahead.
Reaves became just the fourth player in the past 40 years to post at least 50 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists in a game, joining Doncic, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. He also recorded the first 50-plus points with 11-plus rebounds and nine-plus assists by a Lakers player since Elgin Baylor in 1963.
Zach LaVine led the Kings with 32 points, followed by DeMar DeRozan with 21, Dennis Schroder with 18 points and 12 assists, and Domantas Sabonis with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
The Lakers will visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, while Sacramento plays the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
