KarrotMovies

354 | 12 hours ago

Top 10 scorer in the league playing next to the highest usage player. I don’t think people quite grasp how valuable an offensive player like Reaves is next to a superstar. There’s a reason Pistons were willing to throw him that max to sign him.

FunTailor794

126 | 12 hours ago

Yeah his stats are just massively deflated because he’s playing next to one of the highest usage and one of, if not the greatest offensive engine in history. When Luka is on Austin takes a back seat but we’ve seen him score 50 when he needs and here was a good example of him showing up when it mattered

wholsmay

45 | 10 hours ago

Not massively. I think high on AR, look my last comment, but playing next to Luka is bad for some days like today where he shows is capable of score, but at the same time playing next to that offensive engine that can score and create opportunities for everyone, is good for everyone surrounding. Teams playing the gravity defense on Luka makes everyone life’s easier.

And while AR is very good, he isn’t consistent enought to be the first option in a nightly basis

KarrotMovies

16 | 10 hours ago

Yeah, AR is such a great 2nd option because he isn’t really being ‘held back’ by the first option. I doubt AR could perform like this every game but he can do when called upon to do so occasionally. Very talented player that can scale up but still benefits greatly from playing next to Luka.

spicywardell

0 | 9 hours ago

The problem with this argument is he can’t always just turn it on when needed. He has real weaknesses and he’s had a few stinkers already this season and when you’re making 40M it’s hard to look past that. Coupled with some truly poor playoff appearances since 2023 (I’ll give him a pass for last year where he rushed back from a pretty serious injury), fans are right to be concerned. I’ve been a fan since he debuted in summer league so I’m still high on my guy but I don’t blame people for being critical.

YLCZ

6 | 5 hours ago

Reaves is being paid the 43rd highest salary this year. It likely never will be higher than this. Meanwhile, he’s currently 11th in scoring on 51/41/91 splits. What the fuck more do you want from this guy?

Sudden_Diamond5501

-3 | 7 hours ago

yea . when you’re making 40m and your defense is a negative, you’ve gotta be bringing at least this level of play to your team or you’re just a negative contract overall.

fuzzythinker

19 | 10 hours ago

They don’t grasp how valuable he is because they have a memory of a fruit fly. They saw how poorly he played after injury and in playoffs and called him a bad contract and the Lakers may not make the playoffs before the season starts. No one remembers he played way above All Star level before the injury.

Phosphorrr

10 | 9 hours ago

He didn’t even play that bad in the playoffs in context. Against the Rockets he just came back from the injury. Against OKC he had a really rough game 1 and then averaged 26 points and 7 assists on 51% from the field and 39% from 3 against the best perimeter defending team in the league. The turnovers were a problem but once again, he was asked to be the primary ball handler against the best perimeter defense in the league. He’s an amazing 2nd option.

Tw1987

2 | 6 hours ago

Also a great third option when needed to be as we saw with AD. Hes basically scoring portion of James harden in OKC.

Morezingis

37 | 11 hours ago

Am I crazy for saying he has surpassed Booker for 3rd best SG?

NobelRafael1

48 | 11 hours ago

You are not. I can’t believe how far Austin has come, holy shit.

bigpancakeguy

6 | 9 hours ago

If he was the #1 option on the team, his numbers would be pretty solid. But doing that at the same time as Luka, who’s having a historically great scoring start to the season, is really fucking cool for us to watch

swampcreature511

24 | 11 hours ago

Austin is also a good playmaker, which Booker is not.

ThinMap9138

-30 | 10 hours ago

No the fuck he isn’t lmao

What is up with you guys making Reaves into a player that he isn’t?

He’s a piss poor playmaker and when they had him trying to run the offense he was turning the ball over like crazy.

He’s back to scoring which is what he does. But he is not a good playmaker lmfao You guys man. I swear.

Top_Wishbone745

5 | 10 hours ago

agree to a certain extent. your comment is lacking in nuance on his actual evaluation. hes a good passer with a shifty but sloppy handle. when he gets into his spots hes a great passer, but the sloppy handle and tendency to overdribble in traffic leads to turnovers that lower his overall effectiveness as a primary ball handler.

his playmaking as a first option and primary ball handler is suspect, but as a shooting guard/secondary option its actually pretty good.

overall it more depends on the role hes asked to do and position hes being made to play.

getting the ball off a double on luka and attacking close outs off a scrambling defence he has great playmaking. bringing the ball up and attacking a set defence as the initiator of the offence hes much less effective/reliable. he can still do it if he beats his man off the dribble but many times he loses control of his handle and has to pick up the ball and bail out.

overall hes not a great or even good playmaker as a primary option, and a decent to good one as a second option. just saying he has piss poor playmaking as a blanket statement is just not accurate at all.

Dkjoy

11 | 11 hours ago

Book is far more resilient in a playoff setting

Accomplished-Law-652

14 | 11 hours ago

He was in the past. Not clear that’s still the case…

WakiLover

4 | 8 hours ago

Didn’t booker get clamped by OKC too? OKC perimeter defense makes anyone look like a scrub but it only really comes up when it’s shot on Reaves time.

I’d have to look up the numbers but I’m pretty Reaves put up better number against said defense too, compared to other start guards.

Dkjoy

-7 | 10 hours ago

I mean I am a laker fan. I like AR.

Booker gets to his spots better. AR is heavily reliant on drawing contact to create shots.

Ar type of player will always struggle in the playoffs. Thats why he will be much better playing next to a guy like Luka.

[deleted]

0 | 11 hours ago

Dkjoy

0 | 10 hours ago

Laker fan here:

Just WATCH them play!

I’m not sure why it’s even a point of contention.

Booker is better at getting to his spots. He creates a bit more separation from his defenders, while taking the brute of a playoff level physical defense.

I like AR a lot. But he’s heavily reliant on whistles to create shots. This is precisely why he’s so into the fakes and the step throughs.

Booker is able to be more direct in his play.

Even in these last three years. He was at 24 ppg/with 62% TS, as a clear cut first option… vs the 2 best defensive teams in the league.

I honestly don’t even care about the numbers tho, just watching them play makes it so obvious.

LovetheNBA23

3 | 11 hours ago

It’s not a bad take.

Impressive_Ad_4425

1 | 10 hours ago

I made a post about this a year ago and I’m not sure one person agreed with me. 50 people started attacking me lmaooo. I backed it up with stats too. AR been better that book.

OvoCurry3799

-5 | 11 hours ago

yes. cuckoo crazy

ThinMap9138

-5 | 10 hours ago

You guys are insane. Lmfao.

wholsmay

4 | 10 hours ago

He would fit a Detroit like a dream. He could complement Cade the same way as Luka as they play same kind of ball, while Cade being Luka lite.

Plus the Detroit ‘s defense where they can cover his weakness and at the same time AR could cover the team weakness, that is shorting 3’s and creation and scoring responsibilities other than Cade. He would fit perfectly

oat38

1 | 11 hours ago

Reaves definitely has a great chance of making his first ASG this season

Sudden_Diamond5501

63 | 12 hours ago

is that kyrie irving?

JBFMVPBostonIsRacist

48 | 12 hours ago

pretty close to Kyrie’s stats the year that him and Luka made the Finals

mw19078

20 | 12 hours ago

He’s had terrible injury luck in the playoffs the last few years, I hope we get to see both of these dudes healthy for the post season

FirstReaction_Shock

5 | 8 hours ago

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Remember we’re a play in team

effurshadowban

9 | 10 hours ago

He’s a way more efficient scorer. 60.8% vs 65.3% TS so far. Same PPG. Reaves turns the ball over more and fouls more.

And people said I was crazy to say that Reaves is on the same tier as Kyrie in 2024.

oat38

6 | 11 hours ago

Kyrie is definitely a better shotmaker especially from 3pt land, and a better ball handler. But Reaves is better getting contact and going to the FT line more.

I’d say Reaves is capable enough to play that Kyrie role well next to Luka, even though he may not be the star that Kyrie is. Not sure why some people are so quick to say Luka - Reaves backcourt will not work, because it’s clear by now Luka likes to play with a scoring guard next to him, and Reaves fits that pretty well.

Wooden_Coyote5992

97 | 12 hours ago

It’s really impressive because there aren’t many modern players to compare him to. He’s this skinny white dude who can just hoop and make it all work somehow.

PANGIRA

36 | 10 hours ago

Ty Jerome is kinda like him

Knockknockerz

21 | 9 hours ago

Name is too black

LN4_LD77

1 | 9 hours ago

Ty jerome is white?

yitur93

0 | 9 hours ago

Ty Jerome is older than Reaves. BTW I think the Cam Spencer is the coldest of them all.

Mallylol

7 | 7 hours ago

It is absolutely insane how he can just seemingly throw it up there after 3 difficult moves and make it so consistently.

_The_Honored_One_

1 | 6 hours ago

How does skin colour affect ability or player comparisons?

alfieurbano

1 | 5 hours ago

Because if there is a skinny black dude who can just hoop and make it all work somehow, it’s almost the same, but the skin colour is different when you compare the 2 😅

doomrider2

79 | 13 hours ago

Why only 50/40/90? He should aim higher

hinglecringleberry0

18 | 11 hours ago

60/50/100 or bust

fhfbcc

4 | 9 hours ago

Weren’t those his splits in the 23 wcf?

OUEngineer17

33 | 12 hours ago

He’s got better every year. It’s always tough in the West, but I can see him make an All-Star team.

AFC-Wimbledon-Stan

312 | 13 hours ago

People hate him because they need a new target on the Lakers since LeBron left

Pretty simple

Excellent-Age-296

69 | 12 hours ago

AR’s been seriously hated on since the 2024 playoffs, after a poor 3pt shooting series against Denver.

WakiLover

10 | 7 hours ago

He gets shit on for his defense but he was lowkey putting the clamps on Murray that series. The game winners overshadow how bad Murray’s numbers were compared to his usual stats.

Excellent-Age-296

3 | 7 hours ago

Exactly. Jamal Murray’s two clutch shots glossed-over his otherwise inefficient 2024 playoff series against the Lakers, and AR got no credit for his defense on him. He’s played Murray well overall throughout his career.

When AR first came to the Lakers, he actually earned his minutes as a defender. He just couldn’t find his 3-point range in that series.

BlueCode6

1 | 6 hours ago

Who hates him? He is insanely good

PapaPrometheus

-14 | 9 hours ago

There was a 5 day stretch last week where he WAS averaging like 16 points with 19 turnovers across 3 games, and I believe one of those games was without Luka - which is when you would hope he would step up.

I’m gonna say something that will probably come across as offensive but I swear I’m not trying to be: You and OP and everyone who upvoted you need to get out your feelings 😭 2 weeks ago the top posts in this sub were glazing his %s. People are allowed to discuss and criticize players without there having to be an agenda or collective mindset.

The man is great at bball, he had a poopoo week and got called out for it, he easily shed the slump (because he’s great).

Amel_P1

8 | 9 hours ago

This is just not true at all you guys just make shit up on here and then repeat it until you believe it. His lowest scoring game he scored 16 and that’s it a single game.

CoogiMonster

2 | 8 hours ago

Yeah the accurate thing to say would be AR averaged 18.6 in the time frame the guy mentioned and had 19 turn overs, it’s a huge difference!

Shoutout to AR jokes aside be was kind doing pretty meh but from the start of November he has shaken off his turnover festival. Dude was looking getting with high fouls in a lot of games and crazy turnover rates. That said I think they were seeing if he could play make for the bench mob in non-Luka minutes and realized it would be better to roll the dice in Sexton handling and AR doing what he does best, scoring.

PapaPrometheus

-5 | 9 hours ago

16, 19, 21 - sorry my memory isn’t perfect. Doesn’t really change the point people were making though. That’s not what you want from the 2nd option when paired with 19 turnovers and only 10 assists.

MadferitCmon

-72 | 12 hours ago

Tbf he’s been exposed in the playoffs the last two years. So he needs to do a lot of work to earn back good will.

carlonia

70 | 12 hours ago

Exposed is a stretch. Dude was injured and clearly came back early

Zanad14

31 | 12 hours ago

He also scored efficiently against the thunder outside of the 1st game

K19I53

-28 | 12 hours ago

I don’t think the Thunder were trying that hard.

Parallel-Quality

23 | 12 hours ago

This. People keep overlooking the fact that he rushed back from injury because the Lakers were already missing Luka.

No doubt that affected his ability to be effective on the floor.

Not to mention he had to face the full brunt of the Thunder’s defense without Luka there to draw any attention.

The thing that made him look bad was that LeBron actually looked good against the Thunder in the same scenario.

But he was healthy, and the Thunder didn’t have a PF stopper with J-Dub out, whereas they had plenty of guard-stoppers in Dort, Wallace and Caruso.

aaron21hardin

-11 | 11 hours ago

He was exposed against the Wolves 2 years ago without that excuse.

imposibol

3 | 10 hours ago

He was also hurt in that series. The real criticism of AR is he couldn’t stay healthy when it counts.

ProgressAlive

27 | 12 hours ago

“exposed” and he’s just been injured

MadferitCmon

-34 | 12 hours ago

Everyone is banged up by playoffs times. He’s a playoff dropper you gonna deny that? It’s happened almost every year.

LaPianiste7

15 | 12 hours ago

Rushing back from a month long injury is not the same thing as “everyone’s banged up.” He wasn’t great in the Minnesota series but you’re being too hyperbolic

jsun_

4 | 12 hours ago

It’s happened the last 2 playoffs. One where the team was just thoroughly outmatched vs the Wolves and everyone Luka and Lebron included struggled. The other was where he straight up came back early from injury and still did well considering who he played against and what that team does to every guard (OKC). People forget how good AR was in the playoffs before the last 2 seasons.

iRockaflame

2 | 12 hours ago

In fairness I think the injury he had was turf toe which is way worse than it sounds

IceExpensive863

-26 | 12 hours ago

He is really a regular season merchant. He struggles against postseason athletic pesky defenders.

Ferovore

13 | 12 hours ago

Scored efficiently vs thunder in the playoffs and just dismantled the strong physical pistons defence?

WolverineLong1430

-15 | 12 hours ago

Exposed and “injured whistle.”

SpiritFantastic4835

57 | 13 hours ago

Apparently he’s the highest second option PPG scorer so far

yalecrazy

41 | 13 hours ago

He’s top 11 and a 2nd option to the #1 leading scorer right now. Its crazy. Top 10 if you remove Ant

mnkhan808

24 | 12 hours ago

Luka averaging 40 with second place Steph at 31. Crazy.

MoIicOnePGR

6 | 12 hours ago

How much is Jamal Murray averaging?

LovetheNBA23

11 | 11 hours ago

He’s averaging more than Jokic.

MoIicOnePGR

7 | 10 hours ago

He’s been outright better than Jokic, so that’s not surprising.

SpiritFantastic4835

5 | 12 hours ago

24

MoIicOnePGR

2 | 11 hours ago

Gotcha

JV_1999

103 | 12 hours ago

Facts, if ur doing that to cade as well today then we needa put respek on this white boays name!!!

JV_1999

47 | 12 hours ago

in the words of bron, “he just had a different wiggle to him” - when asked on mind the game podcast how he knew reaves was dat boi

Str8FrmShibuya

16 | 12 hours ago

His growth has been unbelievable. He had always shown flashes but to see him flourish into this second option behind Luka is surreal to see

Decent_Management449

15 | 12 hours ago

ALL- STAR, 100%.

MadferitCmon

11 | 12 hours ago

LuKai 2.0? 👀

jakopson10

1 | 6 hours ago

LuStin

theeternalcowby

9 | 12 hours ago

Love that’s he’s officially at 50/40/90 now. His efficiency has been insane.

itsme32

9 | 12 hours ago

Has literally gotten better every year he has been in the league.

BlockedByMobley

23 | 12 hours ago

He’s always reminded me of a mini Jimmy Butler with how he gets to his spots in the midrange and paint areas. Obviously nowhere near Jimmy as a defender but he’s a better shooter

markmyredd

18 | 10 hours ago

he has that Manu finishing in the rim as well with those awkward lay ups that always seems to go in.

bul1dog

8 | 10 hours ago

This. He plays way more like right handed Manu than Jimmy. Manu is actually a really good comp.

FirstReaction_Shock

-4 | 9 hours ago

Why did you have to specify “right handed Manu”? I’m out of the loop here

DiscoMonkey007

6 | 8 hours ago

Bcs Manu is left handed.

captain_ahabb

1 | 10 hours ago

More of a homeless man’s SGA to me, Butler is so much stronger. Same kind of methodical style though. Elite body control and dribbling in traffic.

Htaroh

5 | 8 hours ago

I can see the SGA comparison, but as great as SGA is, calling AR a “homeless version” is extremely unfair - he is not not even that far off of SGAs production overall, let alone efficiency. And he did that already last season, before he went down to injury and then rushed back for playoffs. He is no SGA, but he is also not some top 200 end of the bench bum, he could legit be a #1 option on Nets or something and raise their floor.

Sudden_Diamond5501

1 | 6 hours ago

movie star’s* SGA. before his injury last year in the regular season he was averaging near 30 on efficiency even shai couldn’t match

WalrusInMySheets

1 | 10 hours ago

Honestly this is a really good comparison, and idk why it didn’t register for me before.

MikeyCanFly13

15 | 12 hours ago

Didn’t one of the former NBA podcast recently say he wasn’t a good enough 2nd option?

No-Worry2688

15 | 12 hours ago

pretty sure it was Danny Green and he was calling the game today lmaoo

ddonovan715

16 | 11 hours ago

His commentary is fucking terrible to

medyolang_

3 | 10 hours ago

i liked Jordan Farmar! he sounded transactional but at least he made sense

Glinez09

1 | 9 hours ago

yeah. i kinda prefer fisher

Odd_Raspberry745

-6 | 11 hours ago

Still to be seen, need to step up in the playoffs, great regular season player though

Hour_Ad9846

4 | 9 hours ago

Austin reaves is a prime example how how hard work pays off, dude is a baller and legit star second option

tristanthompsonbeast

11 | 12 hours ago

Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic are like older brother and lower brother. I called them the Flamethrower Brothers.

Pitforsofts

2 | 10 hours ago

Don and Con ( consigliere)

jantoxdetox

3 | 12 hours ago

Ayooooooo

lolBaldy

7 | 12 hours ago

Reaves > Cade

BlueHundred

2 | 10 hours ago

I think the biggest complaint I’ve been seeing has been his turnovers to start the season and it was really only for a few game stretch

Ok_Print_4459

2 | 9 hours ago

This is why I defended them giving Reaves his money, worth every penny.

HibachiTyme

3 | 11 hours ago

I can’t belive his stats are this good with how many horrible shots he takes

kokkatc

8 | 10 hours ago

Lol. He’s currently at 50/40/90, an elite tier. I don’t think you can call them horrible shots until his efficiency takes a nose dive.

happylakers

6 | 9 hours ago

Have you watched his last game? A lot of his shots are hard to make. It’s great that he hits them but I’m also surprised how efficient he is for such low quality shots

arinawe

2 | 8 hours ago

That’s his superpower. Why do you think his highlight reels are so long?

TakiBlower

1 | 6 hours ago

He loses his superpowers in the playoffs for some reason

HibachiTyme

-1 | 10 hours ago

Hard disagree

QNIKET8

4 | 12 hours ago

i’ve seen enough, i’d trade donovan mitchell and james harden for him

onlyhightime

1 | 5 hours ago

Lakers fans would say no.

Gradschoolmaybe3

1 | 5 hours ago

No we wouldn’t. I’d probs take that if Spida can go back to being a defender and Harden can run second unit off the bench.

Austin Reaves this season: 25.3 PPG | 50.3% FGS | 41.3% 3PTS | 90.9% FTS | 3.4 REBS | 4.6 ASTS | 1.0 STLS