Lakers without LeBron or Luka get career high 45 points from Austin Reaves in Win over Pacers

Media and fans at Crypto.com Arena and a national TV audience at ESPN were probably disappointed that Luka Dončić did not make his Los Angeles Lakers debut on Saturday afternoon. So advertised the team The LeBron James would also not play and sit out with left ankle tenderness.

ESPN was already bending Saturday’s Matchup with Indiana Pacers to her TV lineup in anticipation that Dončić played before the team decided that its latest star would probably not take the court in Laker’s Purple and Gold before Monday against Utah Jazz. But the network didn’t even get James for Saturday’s Telecast.

Although he is very considered in NBA circles, Austin Reaves does not have the star power of James or Dončić. But he gave a superstar performance with a career mound 45 points in a 124-117 win over Pacers on Saturday.

Reaves shot 14-of-26 from the floor, including 4-of-9 on 3-Pointers, and went 13-for-13 on free kick to lead a short-handed Lakers team over last season’s Eastern Conference finalists (and the current Nr. 4 teams in the east). He added seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

At 26, Reaves is the youngest Lakers player who gets 40 points, five rebounds and five assists in a game since Kobe Bryant did in 2006, According to ESPN.

Lakers showed what the rest of their team is capable of in the first quarter, scoring 44 points with Reaves, who got 11 of them.

Rui Hachimura added seven in the quarter on the way to 24 points and nine rebounds for the game. Gabe Vincent spoke 12 points with seven assists, and Jaxson Hayes – now under some pressure to help replace Anthony Davis in Lakers’ Frontcourt – chopped 12 rebounds and two blocks with nine points.

Speaking of Davis, Dončić and James, who were sitting out, were even more remarkable with the All-Star tip that played his first game for Dalla’s Mavericks since last Saturday’s amazing blockbuster deal.

Hundreds of fans gathered outside the American Airlines Center before the game to protest against Mavericks Management Trading Dončić. But Davis gave Dallas fans a dazzling start with 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks before traveling in the third quarter due to a non-contact lighting damage. Afterwards he said the damage was “nothing serious.”

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Tyrese Haliburton followed 19 points and shoots 4-of-9 in 3s, while Bennedict Mathurin added 16.

Center Mark Williams was also not available to Lakers. The team announced on Saturday night that he was not playing because of a “failure to fulfill a condition of trade.” It was reported that Williams has failed his physical, Espns Shams Charania reported.

How Lakers will end with their latest star is yet to be determined, but the team so fine – better than fine, even – in their second home game since the Dončić agreement. Lakers have won five in a row and 11 of their last 13 matches and currently have the fourth place in the Western Conference position.

Next, next for Lakers is Monday’s home game versus the jazz in what may be Dončić’s debut.