The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off an astonishing comeback victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, with Austin Reaves leading the charge in a thrilling 119-115 win at Crypto.com Arena. The game was already complicated enough for the Lakers, who were dealing with significant roster changes and a lengthy road swing that had just ended.
Just two days after the NBA trade deadline, the Lakers welcomed back Luka Doncic to action, only for him to suffer a left leg injury in the second quarter due to hamstring soreness. The extent of his injury remains unclear, casting a cloud over the team's already precarious situation.
Replaced by Maxi Kleber, who provided crucial game-changing energy without registering any traditional stats, the Lakers had to make even more changes to their rotation. But despite all these factors, they managed to mount an impressive 14-point comeback behind Reaves' stellar performance.
With 35 points and six rebounds off the bench in just his second game back from a calf injury, Reaves looked like his pre-injury self. LeBron James also chipped in with 17 points and 10 assists, showcasing strong late-game moments to make up for his turnover struggles.
Another turning point came when Rui Hachimura scored seven straight points late in the third quarter to cut the deficit to just two entering the fourth. The Lakers' bench played a crucial role, contributing an astonishing 61 points – nearly three times their season average of 27.3 points per game.
The win moves the Lakers to 31-19 on the season, with the team still maintaining pace for a 50-win campaign in the 50th game of the season. The next test for Los Angeles comes in the form of a primetime matchup against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena, marking the second of eight consecutive home games before All-Star weekend.
Just two days after the NBA trade deadline, the Lakers welcomed back Luka Doncic to action, only for him to suffer a left leg injury in the second quarter due to hamstring soreness. The extent of his injury remains unclear, casting a cloud over the team's already precarious situation.
Replaced by Maxi Kleber, who provided crucial game-changing energy without registering any traditional stats, the Lakers had to make even more changes to their rotation. But despite all these factors, they managed to mount an impressive 14-point comeback behind Reaves' stellar performance.
With 35 points and six rebounds off the bench in just his second game back from a calf injury, Reaves looked like his pre-injury self. LeBron James also chipped in with 17 points and 10 assists, showcasing strong late-game moments to make up for his turnover struggles.
Another turning point came when Rui Hachimura scored seven straight points late in the third quarter to cut the deficit to just two entering the fourth. The Lakers' bench played a crucial role, contributing an astonishing 61 points – nearly three times their season average of 27.3 points per game.
The win moves the Lakers to 31-19 on the season, with the team still maintaining pace for a 50-win campaign in the 50th game of the season. The next test for Los Angeles comes in the form of a primetime matchup against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena, marking the second of eight consecutive home games before All-Star weekend.
! I mean, 35 points and 6 rebounds in just his second game back? that's insane! and to think they were down by 14 with like, what, 10 minutes left on the clock... talk about a team effort 
! the bench was on fire too, 61 points is no joke 
. now we gotta see how this energy carries over to their next game against the Warriors... I'm all in for another W 
35 points off the bench in his 2nd game back is insane! and can we talk about the Lakers' bench tho? they were on FIRE tonight! 61 points is crazy for a team that's been through so much lately. i'm low-key excited to see how this season unfolds now that they've got Reaves and LeBron working together seamlessly 
next game against the Warriors better believe i'll be glued to my screen 
and Maxi Kleber brought so much energy to the game 
the fact that they can still hang with the top teams like Philly is so impressive. can't wait for the Warriors game 
but reaves and james stepped up big time! 35 pts from off the bench for reaves? 
that's insane! also love how the Lakers' bench came together to make a huge impact 
61 pts in total is crazy, nearly triple their season average 
. The Lakers have been all over the place since Luka went down with that hamstring injury... like, what's going on? 
One minute you're all high, next minute you're struggling to stay afloat in the standings. And Reaves just comes out of nowhere and nails it 
. I mean don't get me wrong, he was great, but the system is still all wonky, if you ask me 