Austin Reaves Discussion: "Keeping The Vibes High"

Those shooting splits have to be improved, especially as an off-ball shooter. That would open up his game even more.

 

Nothing if You were in the crowd that lived to bag on AD’s injuries considering the way and how hard he played the game all over the court. Go for it.

 

We are in agreement on that. The people that felt opposite know who they are.

 

there can only be what, 6 guards on the west all star team, right?

curry, luka, sga, and ant are basically mortal locks.

that leaves 2 spots for reaves, jamal murray, devin booker, fox, and others. not making the allstar team isn't some sort of condemnation.

all of those guys make a lot more money than reaves, btw.

 

I agree with that too. Notice I never said that he would repeat those struggles, I said IF he did.

 

5 time Champion Kobe? This is a pretty big stretch of a comparison isn't it?

 

The last 2 sentences aren’t especially considering how great Kobe was. And what a great defense like Detroit or OKC can do to shooting splits if you’re the number 1 or 2 guy they’re throwing everything at. AR still managed games of 31 and 27 and averaged 20-21 against them and while not a hundred per cent, coming back a couple weeks earlier than normal/expected for the oblique injury he had. Which also wouldn’t help.

 

I think that post got partially interpreted, as a Reaves isn't really that good type of thing.

 

I really appreciate you being willing to put these posts out there. I was actually doing some research and it showed exactly what you pointed out. I was thinking what you stated about it being a waste of time for those that have positions cast in stone but again I appreciate such quality posts.

 

What ,he still isn't traded for LaVine?!

Lol
Embarassing

 

Not trying to compare them as much as trying to point out that having a bad game or two in the playoffs happens to everyone. If you take out Austin's two worst games, and ONLY use his other stats, he did pretty good. I think people are holding him to a level that they seemed to let everyone else, including Kobe, slide.

 

It's just such a huge gap, in the body of work with Kobe. Sure everyone has a dud here and there. However Mamba was a totally proven superstar at that point.

The comment about Austin, is referring to what happened over an 11 game sample size. Taking out the poor games, could change the numbers up, but so could taking out his best games.

Circling back, Kobe earned an occasional playoff struggle. Reaves hasn't won anything, I kind of see it the other way. When you critique guys that people like, a common defense of the person, is well so and so, did so and so too. Disregarding the difference in level between the two. Tinkerbell could have basically made a similar argument, however he was definitely punished for coming up small against Denver.

Sticking with him and Austin on that note...More was expected of Tinkerbell in that series, meanwhile Reaves played above his station. Which gave rise to the feelings, that he could one day be a legit 2nd option.

 

Meh..what is this research you were doing? Specifically what's the difference from sticking to whatever position you hold, whether someone agrees with it or not? Regardless of what side of the coin you stand?

I find this an interesting take on a fan message board.

" How dare you not be swayed, by not agreeing with my point!?"

" You are being unreasonable"

" You only see it your way"

Etc..etc. bunch of BS....IMO.

 

Ha! Or, “get out of the kitchen after you have assembled your Mahi Mahi sandwich!”

 

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The crux of the frustration is in these kind of back and forths when people on either side go to the trouble to look up facts to put against the other side’s arguments and different or NEW points and ways of looking at it …. and some people will not acknowledge any of it, not looking at you here. They just go back to the same talking points over and over. I too thought that Samson’s post was excellent as an attempt to refute that AR is flat out not good enough to be a 2nd option and that he never plays well “enough” in the playoffs or doesn’t have the capability to “scale up” in important situations.



“I think the “Reaves doesn’t raise his game in the playoffs” argument has become one of those things that gets repeated so often that people stop checking whether it is actually true.

In 2022–23, Austin went from 13.0/3.0/3.4 in the regular season to 16.9/4.4/4.6 in the playoffs, while shooting 44% from three. He was arguably the Lakers’ third-best player during a run to the WCF and averaged over 21 points against Denver. That is pretty much the definition of raising your game in the playoffs.

In 2024, he averaged 16.8 points against Denver — slightly more than in the regular season. He was inconsistent and his three-point shooting dropped, but he certainly wasn’t played off the floor or exposed as someone who couldn’t handle playoff basketball.

The last two years were obviously worse, but context matters. He played the 2025 series with a sprained big toe and reportedly tried to stay off it completelybetween games. This year he returned during the playoffs from a Grade 2 oblique strain after missing almost a month, yet still had games of 31 and 27 points against OKC. Judging either series as if he were fully healthy seems a little dishonest.

We have also seen him consistently scale up when the Lakers’ stars are unavailable: 32 in Boston without LeBron and AD, 45 against Indiana without LeBron and Luka, and 51/11/9 in Sacramento without LeBron and Luka. Whatever his limitations are, hiding behind better players or under pressure is not one of them.

There are perfectly reasonable questions about paying him around $45 million a year — especially his defense and overall physicality (which BTW can still improve and is not as bad as some tend to portray it). But“he disappears in the playoffs” is not a particularly strong argument. His healthy playoff résumé is actually one of the better arguments in his favor.”

 

I have no expectations of anyone changing their viewpoints. I see the super positive types vs the super negative types. I am squarely in the middle, seeing neither the super positive nor the super negative. I have been around too long to look at anything in the world like that, especially these days. I am in the wait and see camp, give the current roster a chance. I don't know how it is going to work out, but I am hopeful. I was with Lebron coming here too. Didn't work out quite as well as I had hoped but it was still better than it was before. I have great hopes for Luka panning out. We do have much to compare him to, so we will be able to understand his level of success.

For me, it is and has always been about the journey. The promised land means nothing without the pain of getting there. It is what the Lakers during the 60's taught me. Pain is the path you must travel through. You lose before you win. Every time!!! I am not going to get too low over it and I am not going to get too high on the other end. Be happy when you win and fight harder when you lose! Pull for your guys.

 

All that being said..what does the bulk of this, have to do with anything I posted?

I said Austin needs to step up in the postseason, especially now that he's our 2nd option. I specifically said based on his last two postseasons. 40% from the field and 30% from 3 aint gonna cut it. I specifically said that's fine for the 3rd option on a 14M salary, not a 2nd at 40M. I also said being hurt, for whatever reason 3 seasons in a row, in the postseason, won't be looked at the same for a guy on a 40M contract, as a 14M.

That wasn't a complicated or overly critical take. However it immediately gets turned into..

"Well this guy did" etc etc..
"3 years ago Austin did 'etc etc
"During the regular season Austin did "etc etc

All could be 100% true, but none of it related to what I specifically said. The numbers are what they are, and if they are similar this season, the noise will get louder period.

Now YOU dive off, into a wide ranging defensive response, about various things I didn't mention at all.

You don't think I know Austin Reaves history? One of MY favorite players? The kid I pegged as a baller as a rookie? I don't need to be lectured on what he's done. And frankly none of that addressed my post in the first place.

 

Now I totally get with this position. It’s pragmatic, I'm a pragmatic optimist.

I followed my idol Kareem to the Lakers. The players come and go over the years.I respect thier toil here and move on to the next one. Some people just get touchy, if they think you are attacking a player they like. That's really all it is IMO.

Fans aren't required to view anything, in the same way, besides wanting OUR team to win.

 

You giving a mocking “Meh” to Toklat who said he really liked Samson’s post and was thinking of doing some specific similar “research” of his own in the same areas with FACTS to refute these constantly repeated not always accurate takes about Austin.

I made a point to say “I” wasn’t talking about you. We came to some understanding and agreement several posts back. You will go back sometimes and dig up facts or come with different ways to state your points.

Capeesh?

 

Are you Toklat? I'm confused.




Edit..Agh...you responded to that post, not Toklat. I didn't notice that.

Well the numbers are the actual facts aren't they? What research disputes them? I'm perplexed as to the actual argument here.


You were providing some context, as to why he could do better I guess. However I didn't need that, because I never said that he couldn't.

I simply said that he needs to step up and do it.

Comprehende?