"The job is not finished" - Austin Reaves says the LA Lakers are not done after Game 1 victory over the Golden State Warriors
Austin Reaves played a big role in the LA Lakers’ 117-112 win over the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series. He played 39 minutes as Klay Thompson’s primary defender.
Reaves had this to say after the Lakers stole home-court advantage from the Bay Area team:
“It’s huge coming out, winning Game 1 [and] taking home-court [advantage]. But, like we said after the game, the job’s not finished. We come back on Thursday and try to win that one.
"Keep the same mindset [that] it’s not the first one to win one game, it’s the first four. We gotta keep a good mindset moving forward and stay locked in.”
"We didn't make too many shots down the stretch but we got stops when we needed stops and hey a win is a win." Austin Reaves on the #Lakers second half. https://t.co/7xSDOF4pET
The 2023 NBA playoffs have been Reaves' first rodeo in the playoffs. He has carved a spot in Darvin Ham’s rotation, particularly with his showing in the last few months of the regular season.
In the first playoff game of his career, he announced to the basketball world that he was ready for the big stage. He closed out the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of that series by scoring 14 fourth-quarter points, including nine straight.
Austin Reaves averaged 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists against the Grizzlies. He shot 44.7% from the field, making 34.4% of his three-pointers. Reaves has become an integral part of the LA Lakers’ postseason run.
Ham has tweaked Reaves’ role in their semifinal series against the Golden State Warriors. He has become their primary Klay Thompson stopper and sometimes toggles as Steph Curry’s main defender.
The Splash Brothers are probably the toughest players to guard on the perimeter. Both are always on the move and the Warriors consistently force their defenders to fight through picks, screens and pin downs.
Austin Reaves knows his role against the Warriors may be unglamorous, but he must perform them.
"We didn't make too many shots down the stretch but we got stops when we needed stops and hey, a win is a win."
Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt, LA’s primary Steph Curry stopper, double-teamed the reigning NBA Finals MVP with the Warriors down 115-112. “Chef Curry” was forced to pass out to Draymond Green, who found a wide-open Jordan Poole.
Poole’s 28-footer was way off, allowing the LA Lakers to secure the win after Dennis Schroder’s two free throws.
Jordan Poole missed the potential game-tying shot from DEEP 😳 https://t.co/FOUWLDw6Gq
While all the attention was on the ill-advised three-pointer by Poole, Austin Reaves was glued to Steph Curry to prevent the sharpshooter from relocating.
Austin Reaves was ready to run all night to defend the Splash Brothers
Austin Reaves and his fellow Splash Brothers defenders prepared for a track meet. They knew that if they were to win this series, they would have to be ready to run and fight through screens.
Reaves knew the assignment and played it to near perfection in Game 1:
“Steph and Klay, they never stop moving. They’re always going, going, going. Just getting rest, get as much treatment and feel as good as you can cause someone’s gonna run out there and chase them around.”
The LA Lakers’ job is not over. The Golden State Warriors will come out with more aggressiveness and a sense of urgency in Game 2. Austin Reaves and his teammates should be ready for an all-out battle on Thursday.
Also read: Austin Reaves “Is HIM” in series victory over Grizzlies: What impressive individual and team run can mean for free-agency