Austin Reaves breaks down LA Lakers' win over Golden State Warriors: "The way Draymond plays, he does a very good job of getting everybody open"
The new LA Lakers are off to a good start as they defeat the defending champs Golden State Warriors 109-103. Despite not having the new all-time leading scorer in the game, the Lakers managed to beat the duo of Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. LA guard Austin Reaves was relieved that they were able to shut down the Warriors' offense and secure a much-needed win. He said:
"Just trying not to let him [Klay Thompson] catch the ball," Reaves said. "Obviously, with the way Draymond plays, he does a very good job of getting everybody open... The game plan worked and we got a big win."
Honestly, no one was entirely sure if the LA Lakers could pull off a win, especially since they have several new players on the team. While chemistry could've been an issue, it appears that it won't be a problem moving forward. Austin Reaves had nothing but good things to say about his new teammates and is excited to see the results of their newfound chemistry.
"Just the way they play. It's good basketball. They've obviously all played together so that helps quite a bit because they're going to be in rotations together. They were big tonight. We're happy with what everybody can bring to the table and it's just going to get better the way we mesh together these next couple of weeks and move forward from there."
Austin Reaves on his focus in the fourth quarter when he was guarding Klay Thompson, Kuminga’s elbow to his face and more. https://t.co/ybKk3sGxDE
Can the new LA Lakers lineup secure a playoff spot?
Since the start of the season, the LA Lakers have struggled to consistently win games. Anthony Davis and LeBron James have done everything they can to lead the team to victory. Unfortunately, the problem lies within the team's chemistry. Despite consistent elite performances from the superstar duo, the team struggled to keep up the pace and fumbled down the stretch several times.
The LA Lakers have recently made huge changes to their lineup after letting go of two vital pieces such as Thomas Bryant and Russell Westbrook. Several other players, including Patrick Beverley, were traded as well. In return, the Lakers acquired young players like Mo Bamba, Malik Beasley, D'Angelo Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt.
While some fans are upset about LA's recent trades, it's actually a good thing that the team has invested in younger players. LeBron James is still the best basketball player on the planet, but he's not as young as he once was. Fresher legs on the court will allow the "King" to rest more effectively between games.
The question now is whether this new LA Lakers team can finally secure a playoff spot. With 25 games remaining in the season, they must win 80% of their games, if not all of them. So far, so good, as the new Lakers won their first game without LeBron James. They'll have to keep up this pace from now on.