The Los Angeles Lakers have faced a string of challenging games lately. To shake things up, the Lakeshow went head-to-head with the Phoenix Suns in their first-ever in-season tournament game. Anthony Davis and Jaxson Hayes made their return after recent absences, bolstering the team’s frontcourt. In a strategic move, Darvin Ham opted to bring Austin Reaves off the bench; deviating from his 34-game starting streak for the Lakers.

The change in lineup appeared to pay off handsomely. Cam Reddish, who continued to play a similar amount of minutes as in previous games, notched an impressive 17 points; more than double scoring from his last four games. Additionally, Austin Reaves contributed 15 points while dishing out 7 assists.

Mark Jackson claims Austin Reaves is back

Even though he came off the bench, Austin Reaves managed to log an impressive 35 minutes, trailing only behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis in playing time. Earlier in the season, Reaves solidified his role as the Lakers’ go-to third offensive weapon.

What’s more, after a stellar performance going 6-11 from the field and showcasing his skill, former NBA player and coach Mark Jackson had an intriguing comment about Reaves. He took to his X feed and declared, “Austin Reaves really back with all due respect”

Austin reaves really back with all due respect

— Mark Jackson’s Burner (@casualtakeking) November 11, 2023

Reaves, while only contributing 15 points, managed to make his presence felt at crucial junctures of the game. A couple of his key baskets came early in the fourth quarter, aiding the Lakers in regaining the lead.

“Tired” of Lakers’ Struggles, Ex-Champ Challenges Austin Reaves to Live Up to Bold Playoff Claim

Additionally, LeBron James and Reaves found themselves going head-to-head with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal at various moments throughout the game.

After being furious earlier, fans now applaud Ham and Reaves

As Reaves strutted his stuff on the court, fans quickly forgot their initial worries about him being benched. They proceeded to shower praise on the young player and gave the coach a virtual high-five for the strategic shift.

Right from the outset, @HatingAxhuil was quick to emphasize that Reaves had reasserted himself as the league’s top third option.

Back to being the best 3rd option in the league fr💯

— Axhuil (@HatingAxhuil) November 11, 2023

Furthermore, @HiLowshorts illuminated the monumental plays Reaves made in the second half, providing a perspective from a true fan’s viewpoint on what was working for Reaves.

Austin Reaves removed his leg sleeve in the 2nd half and became HIM again.

— Prime Max (@HiLowshorts) November 11, 2023

In addition, @swishbk6 highlighted how Reaves, despite coming off the bench, continued to make critical contributions down the stretch; a trend that has become his trademark and is expected day in and day out.

Austin Reaves, demoted out of the starting lineup tonight, made many key plays down the stretch and helped close the way I thought he would going into the season.

— Brock (@swishbk6) November 11, 2023

Moreover, @jovanbuha, the Lakers’ NBA reporter, emphasized that Reaves coming off the bench wasn’t a demotion but rather a realignment, underscoring the fact that Reaves logged more than 30 minutes in the game.

Darvin Ham says Austin Reaves’ move to the bench isn’t a “demotion” but a “realignment.”

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) November 11, 2023

To drive the point home, @Klutch_23 whipped out the Manu Ginobili analogy; who, like Reaves, made significant and game-changing plays despite coming off the bench for the Spurs.

Darvin Ham compared Austin Reaves to Manu Ginobili by bringing him off the bench.

— 🎗NBA•Fan🎗 (@Klutch_23) November 11, 2023

For now, it appears that the Lakers have found solid ground in their new lineup. Fortunately, the timing couldn’t be better as they head into the in-season tournament with a strong record.

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