Austin Reaves has earned some serious praise from Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue, who believes the Lakers guard has developed into an elite NBA player.
Ahead of Wednesday’s matchup between the two Los Angeles rivals, Lue spoke about Reaves’ continued improvement and the problems he presents for opposing defenses.
“I actually had a chance to really get up close with him when we played in FIBA,” Lue said, according to Lakers Nation. “Just watching him and how he played and how he took on the role of down the stretch hitting big shots, making plays… He can score from the 3, he can score in the paint, he can pull up, he can pass the basketball, he can go either way. And the biggest thing is he gets fouled a lot.
“Watching the game last night, he’s averaging 27 points, he’s shooting 64% from the field, 62% from 3. He’s just an all-around really good player. We can’t let our guard down. We have a lot of guys out, but with Luka being out, he’s gonna be the focal point and he can beat you by himself. I think last year he had 50 or something one time. So he’s a very good player and with more playing time and more of a role, he’s gotten better and better. Now, he’s elite.”
With Luka Doncic and Ziaire Williams unavailable, Reaves was expected to carry much of the Lakers’ offensive responsibility.
However, he struggled to find his usual rhythm, finishing with 16 points on six-of-16 shooting while committing eight turnovers.
Despite his difficult night, the Lakers secured their fourth victory of the season and second against the Clippers.
Reaves signed a four-year maximum contract extension during the offseason, with his continued development becoming an important part of Los Angeles’ plans.
The guard also recently praised the mentality within the Lakers’ locker room.
“We have a team that understands roles and what is asked of them to do,” Reaves told Spectrum SportsNet. “That’s, I think, the beautiful thing about our team is there’s no egos, there’s no anything. You just wanna win basketball games and however that happens is the main thing.”
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