image via Gary A. Vasquez
Austin Reaves delivered a monster performance Sunday night, pouring in 43 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 121-116 victory over the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.
With Luka Dončić sidelined because of lower-back tightness, Reaves took command of the Lakers’ offense and delivered one of the biggest performances of his NBA career.
Reaves finished with 43 points, five rebounds and four assists, shooting 14-of-27 from the field, 4-of-6 from three-point range and a perfect 11-of-11 from the free-throw line.
Los Angeles came out firing, building a commanding 38-14 first-quarter advantage and extending its lead to as many as 26 points early in the second quarter.
Detroit refused to go away.
The Pistons gradually worked their way back into the contest, cutting the deficit to three points late in the third quarter and making the Lakers earn the victory down the stretch.
Reaves delivered the decisive moment with an off-balance three-pointer with approximately 46 seconds remaining, helping Los Angeles maintain control before sealing the win at the free-throw line.
Walker Kessler contributed 12 points and a game-high 16 rebounds for the Lakers, while Collin Sexton and Ziaire Williams added 17 points apiece.
Detroit received a career-high 31 points from Daniss Jenkins and 24 points from Kevin Huerter, but its comeback effort ultimately fell short.
The victory extended the Lakers’ winning streak to five games and improved their record to 9-2. Los Angeles also snapped a four-game losing streak against Detroit.
Final Score:
- Los Angeles Lakers: 121
- Detroit Pistons: 116
Reaves stepped into the spotlight with Dončić unavailable and reminded everyone that the Lakers have another capable offensive weapon when the moment calls for it.
