JJ Redick highlighted Austin Reaves’ performance after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 127-120 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, calling it “fantastic” and praising his all-around play.
“He did a little bit of everything for us tonight all over the place. Scored the basketball at an incredible level. But just his tenacity to compete, it’s so apparent every single day he’s in the gym,” Redick said.
Redick noted Reaves’ journey from a small-town kid in Arkansas to posting a career-high 51 points, nine assists, and 11 rebounds. “This is a small town kid from Arkansas who went undrafted…just had a 50-ball. These moments are incredible for him,” he added.
He emphasized that Reaves’ energy and leadership uplifted the entire Lakers squad, especially with Luka Doncic and LeBron James unavailable. “You need someone to galvanize the group…Austin led on that tonight,” Redick said.
Redick also pointed to the contributions of Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, and Jake LaRavia, praising their execution against Sacramento’s aggressive defensive schemes. “All those guys brought an edge. It wasn’t just Austin leading that,” he said.
The Lakers’ ability to win without their top two players was another takeaway for Redick. “It’s important for us as a group to understand that we have enough good basketball players to win games when two of our best players are out,” he said.
Regarding Ayton, Redick lauded his pick-and-roll play and offensive efficiency. “His pocket decision-making was really good. Love seeing him get 15 rebounds, and offensively that was his best night,” he said.
Redick also praised the team’s execution late in the game, particularly on plays designed to counter Sacramento’s blitz defense. “We were ready for it…guys did a great job of execution all night long, particularly in the fourth quarter,” he noted.
The Lakers will travel to Portland on Monday to face the Trail Blazers, aiming to carry the momentum from Reaves’ historic night.
