Austin Reaves Owns Up to Lakers’ Letdown, Eyes Bounce-Back on Road Trip
Austin Reaves isn’t ducking the truth. After one of the Lakers’ ugliest losses of the season - a blowout at home to the Phoenix Suns - the rising star didn’t sugarcoat what went wrong.
“We played like shit,” Reaves said bluntly postgame. “They played harder than us.
That can’t happen.”
It was that kind of night for Los Angeles. The Suns came into Crypto.com Arena and took it to the Lakers from the opening tip, leaving no doubt about who wanted it more.
And while Luka Dončić remains the face of the franchise, Reaves has emerged this season as a legitimate co-star - a two-way guard who’s been making a serious leap in his development. But against Phoenix, both Dončić and Reaves struggled, and the Lakers paid for it.
Turnovers, Energy, and Accountability
The box score tells part of the story - turnovers plagued the Lakers all night. Reaves himself committed five, including one that he couldn’t help but shake his head at.
“I dribbled the ball literally out of bounds one time,” he said. “I’ve done it before, I did it tonight, and at some point I’ll probably do it again.
But I was bad in that aspect, so I gotta be better.”
That kind of self-awareness is part of what’s made Reaves such a valuable piece for this team. He’s not just putting up numbers - he’s holding himself accountable, even when things go sideways. And in a game where the Lakers were outworked and outplayed, Reaves didn’t hide from the fact that effort was a major issue.
“I think just to negate it, if we play as hard as the other team, then we put ourselves in position to win,” he said. “We didn’t do that tonight.”
Flushing the Loss, Focusing Forward
Reaves knows this kind of loss can’t linger. The Lakers are staring down a tough three-game road trip with matchups against Toronto, Boston, and Philadelphia - all teams playing high-level basketball right now. There’s no time to dwell.
“I think you more so just flush this one,” Reaves said. “We didn’t play good, we didn’t play hard enough. You know that and you don’t let it affect you going forward, but you remember what the feel, what the energy was like, and you do the opposite of that.”
It’s a veteran mindset from a player who’s quickly becoming one of the emotional leaders of this Lakers squad. Reaves has always played with a chip on his shoulder, and that edge is part of what’s helped him evolve into one of the league’s most dynamic scoring guards this season.
Respect from Around the League
Reaves’ growth hasn’t gone unnoticed. Opponents are taking note - including Suns big man Deandre Ayton, who recently praised Reaves’ ability to score from all three levels.
It’s the kind of respect that only comes when your game is doing the talking. And this season, Reaves has been loud.
But one thing is clear: Reaves isn’t interested in empty praise. He wants wins. And if the Lakers are going to navigate this brutal road stretch and stay in the thick of the Western Conference race, they’ll need the version of Reaves that’s been lighting it up all season - not the one who turned it over five times against Phoenix.
The good news? He knows it. And he’s ready to respond.
“We gotta go handle our business,” Reaves said. That’s the mindset of a player who’s not just along for the ride - he’s helping steer the ship.