The Los Angeles Lakers encountered a major hurdle as their superstar, LeBron James, suffered a groin strain amid their 111-101 defeat against the Boston Celtics. However, in the wake of this setback, Austin Reaves exhibited exceptional performance and became a significant contributor to the Lakers, showcasing his ability to thrive under pressure.
Reaves has been consistently delivering strong performances for the Lakers during the ongoing 2024-25 NBA season. His outstanding contributions have helped the team achieve three consecutive victories. After witnessing Reaves’ exceptional displays, Nick Young made a bold comparison, suggesting that Reaves could potentially be a better No. 2 option than Kyrie Irving at the current condition in their respective careers.
“Hear me out… right now at this stage, I’m not saying overall, is AR a better number two option than Kyrie? Right now, not overall… don’t think of Kyrie back in the day, think of Kyrie right now. How much is AR averaging as the number two option without LeBron?” Young asked former NBA player Gilbert Arenas in the recent episode of the Gil’s Arena Show.
“Like I f*ckin’ said…Remember when LeBron was out he had 40. Think about all the buckets he gets.”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 19, 2025
Nick Young’s take on Austin Reaves being a better number 2 option than Kyrie Irving right now has Gil switching sides 😅
(via @GilsArenaShow)pic.twitter.com/IxP1QZ4oZP
After hearing Young’s bold comparison, Arenas walked away in disbelief and switched sides. He said, “Like I f*ckin’ said…Remember when LeBron was out he had 40. Think about all the buckets he gets.”
Austin Reaves Performance In The Recent Game Against The Denver Nuggets
The Los Angeles Lakers recently faced off against the Denver Nuggets in an intense game at Crypto.com Arena. Austin Reaves showcased a stellar performance on the court, playing for 36 minutes and scoring 22 points, along with 8 assists and 5 rebounds.
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Star player Luka Dončić also made a strong impression, contributing 31 points, 7 assists, and 9 rebounds in 32 minutes of play. Unfortunately, the Denver Nuggets couldn’t secure a win in the absence of their star players, Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. Ultimately, the Lakers emerged victorious with a final score of 120-108.
The Lakers currently hold the 3rd spot in the Western Conference standings, with a record of 43-25. Their next game will be against the Milwaukee Bucks at Crypto.com Arena.
Also Read: Austin Reaves Makes His Feelings Extremely Clear About Lakers Teammates After Fourth Straight Loss
