In his first 21 games:

27.8 points

5.6 rebounds

6.7 assists

1.0 steals, 50.³⁄₃₆.⁹⁄₈₇.5 splits

The Lakers are 15-6 in these games

Reaves hurt his calf after the Spurs game on the 10th of December, he came back for two games against Phoenix and Houston on Christmas Day. After re-aggravating the injury in the latter he’s expected back at some point during the current road trip for the Lakers.

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/austin-reaves-stats-first-21-games-this-season

Carcrusher3 | Trail Blazers

78 | 3 hours ago

There’s a lot of hyperbole around this dude in both directions between Lakers fans and Lakers haters.

But this dude is the real deal. Excited to see what him, Luka, and Lebron look like again together.

Aromatic_Goal_1201 | Nuggets

30 | 3 hours ago

It is a lot of shot creation over a 48 minute regular season game. They’re hard to deal with.

In playoffs I dont know if they scare anyone much out west unless they find something else to fill gaps of their roster

rectuSinister | Lakers

7 | an hour ago

A reasonable take I can agree with

PressureMiserable | Spurs

-22 | 2 hours ago

Eh kinda he’s closer to a 20 ppg scorer than a 25 ppg scorer realistically. He just has one of the best whistles in the league and a historic one at that which makes him way harder to guard in the regular season

EmbarrassedRing7806 | Lakers

16 | 2 hours ago

Someone tell this dude that free throws count as points lmao

Wow_Good_Stats

-11 | 2 hours ago

How has Reaves scoring and efficiency held up in the playoffs? Or are Lakers fans aware that they playoffs don’t matter for them anytime soon

EmbarrassedRing7806 | Lakers

3 | an hour ago

Hes not a good postseason player, I agree.

Free throws still count as points and saying hes a 20 ppg player without the free throws is just dumb and shows a lack of understanding of the sport

PressureMiserable | Spurs

-7 | an hour ago

I think ur the one who lacks a fundamental understanding of the sport If u dont think having a historical whistle doesn’t affect scoring and how guys are allowed to guard a player like that

EmbarrassedRing7806 | Lakers

2 | an hour ago

What does a historical whistle mean

Are refs getting together when a player gets drafted/signed and deciding “hmm lets never give this guy calls” “okay and lets glaze this dude”

PressureMiserable | Spurs

-3 | an hour ago

He’s had a ft rate on the level of prime harden since a rookie. Refs do give the Lakers a much better whistle than any other team in the league or are u just gonna ignore the fact yall have had a historic ft differential over the last 5 years and gap the 2nd next team in that stat

EmbarrassedRing7806 | Lakers

4 | an hour ago

Look at his ft rate in college bud

He’s always been a nasty foul baiter and always got rewarded for it

Has nothing to do with the team he plays for

Ughh conspiratorial thinking is just so low brow

PressureMiserable | Spurs

-2 | an hour ago

This is why no one likes Lakers fans yall can’t even admit the league favors u

TegTowelie | Lakers

2 | an hour ago

You split us up into thirds. One third thinks we can make it to the Finals is playoff AR doesn’t brick every shot, another third believes we’re 1st or 2nd round bounce outs, another 3rd realizes without proper defense, it does NOT matter what we are or what we do, unless scoring 140 ppg leads to a ship.

I am part of that last 3rd lmao.

Estebanez | Lakers

2 | an hour ago

His scoring was higher and efficiency the same his first two playoffs. Take a look for yourself.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/reaveau01.html

He had a bad series last year when he was injured. Trevor Lane: “Can confirm that Austin Reaves was dealing with a left big toe sprain during the Playoffs. Was considered to be a 2-4 week injury but he gutted it out. I’m told Reaves was not walking on it on off days to try to get through the playoffs.”

ReevusXL

68 | 3 hours ago

He can teach the rookie Luka Doncic how to play with Ayton

Puzzled_Plate294 | Lakers

66 | 2 hours ago

Lakers need him so bad fr so glad he is coming back. 😭🙏 He is the glue to this team and helps so much with energy/vibes.

Routine-Duty-1570

12 | 3 hours ago

Move lebron to center and Lakers are good

EightBlocked | NBA

3 | 2 hours ago

be fr

PNWPinkPanther

13 | 2 hours ago

that’s cool. I heard he plays for lakers though.

retrospects | Minneapolis Lakers

9 | 2 hours ago

I miss our Hillbilly Kobe

Aromatic_Goal_1201 | Nuggets

7 | 3 hours ago

Wondering if its worth trying to ramp up for 7 or 8 games before all star when you could instead rest another full 3+ weeks.

Wondering this for jokic too

Lacabloodclot9 | Grizzlies

11 | 3 hours ago

As long as they’re confident that he’s ready to get some minutes then I think he should play, at some point during the recovery process it’s better to play a bit than just take more time off

SwizzGod | Lakers

3 | an hour ago

Please god

Outrageous-Maybe-200 | Nuggets

2 | an hour ago

Oh look who comes back right when I have to face this dude in fantasy 🤦‍♂️

PhasedVenturer

1 | an hour ago

How long does a calf strain really take to recover from??

fckpcklball

0 | 3 hours ago

Will the whistle return tho?

Neatojuancheeto | Warriors

-1 | 3 hours ago

Ya’ll think Steph would actually get calls on the Lakers?

SeveralMycologist205

10 | 3 hours ago

No, there’s anti-unc propaganda going around. Lebron has consistently had a bad whistle on a team that leads the league in free throw attempts most seasons.

Neatojuancheeto | Warriors

-3 | 2 hours ago

Yeah I was going to mention that. Brons fta seem pretty consistent throughout his career.

Kinda wild their two biggest draws don’t get a good whistle

SeveralMycologist205

2 | an hour ago

The Curry thing is probably just refs being hesitant to award 3 free throws to the best free throw shooter of all time. That shouldn’t be a factor but its subconscious.

Neatojuancheeto | Warriors

0 | an hour ago

I mean he gets mauled on lay ups and floaters too. Held off ball like nobodies business. I get that they don’t call lots off ball but they literally grab and hold onto him. Like a wrestling match.

defiantcross | Suns

-2 | 2 hours ago

I do remember Dillon Brooks limiting him to like 16 pts

gigglios

-5 | 3 hours ago

That was pre lebron. He isnt gonna average that with lebron healthy and lakers are a mess anyways outside luka.

WayAdministrative679 | Minneapolis Lakers

18 | 3 hours ago

LeBron himself wants a reduced on ball role, I dont know why you’d think AR’s usage would go down and not the other way around

LeBron has been begging for main ball handlers like Luka & Reaves since 2021 that’s a big reason why we traded for Westbrook (mainly because of LeBron’s request) and Dennis

SeveralMycologist205

4 | 2 hours ago

He needs it more than ever now. In 2021-2022 he wanted a reduced offensive load so it was easier for him to play good defense. He could still be the primary creator on a contender at that point but he was looking to hand the torch off. Current Lebron is a great secondary creator, he needs a guy out there who draws the defense more than him to play at his best. Reaves can fill that role when Luka is out or having a bad game and it will elevate everyone.

pwningnoobslolz | Lakers

1 | 2 hours ago

Meh

The problem is lebron is still the best player on the lakers, especially the past 45 days or so

gigglios

1 | 3 hours ago

Come back here in 2 months and let me know if reaves avgs 28ppg the rest of the way.

Hes a good player and showed a lot of promise but he def wont avg 28ppg as I stated.

Brusex

8 | 3 hours ago

RemindMe! 2 months

SeveralMycologist205

5 | 2 hours ago

He averaged like 24ppg after Luka joined the lakers last season and Lebron’s usage dropped massively

CDSWDH

-4 | 3 hours ago

Austin should wait a few more or not even return at all he has 200 plus million on the line

prodij18 | Lakers

4 | 2 hours ago

AR is the of competitor where sitting out when he can play is basically unthinkable.

Chickenmcnugs34

1 | an hour ago

AR had a strained calf and has been playing 3 on 3. Not saying he should play sooner but he couldn’t play until the day he comes back is a stretch. Just a question of how much risk he takes and a couple of games sooner or later isn’t right/wrong but trying to do the smartest thing.

Salty_Watermelon | Clippers

-5 | 2 hours ago

Reminder that the Lakers still have a Bottom 10 defense and a Top 10 offense. Reaves will not stop the team hemorrhaging points because he’s in the Lou Williams tier of bad perimeter defenders.

That means he’s straight up bad and not a Luka/Harden type who could provide adequate defense if they had the stamina/put in the effort.

Reaves is a good player overall, don’t get me wrong, and he is probably the difference between the Lakers being in the play-in versus comfortably securing a top 6 spot. But they aren’t contenders this year, and it doesn’t matter how much Luka and LeBron fans try to talk it into existence.

Lacabloodclot9 | Grizzlies

3 | an hour ago

AR is not weaker defender than Luka? He’s not a lockdown defender but he’s also not a huge liability at all

Austin Reaves (calf) is returning soon, a reminder of the season he was having before injury: 27.8⁄5.6⁄6.7 on 67% TS

Austin Reaves (calf) is returning soon, a reminder of the season he was having before injury: 27.⁸⁄₅.⁶⁄₆.7 on 67% TS