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In what felt like a schedule loss for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into an afternoon game on Saturday against the Indiana Pacers, that was not the case. With Austin Reaves giving it a go despite being listed questionable with an elbow injury, he took on the offensive burden with LeBron James and Luka Doncic sidelined.

The Lakers would need all of Reaves’ points as they lacked scoring outside of Rui Hachimura, and the Arkansas native delivered in a big way. He would score a career-high 45 points against a Pacers team that is recently playing good basketball, leading the Lakers to their fifth straight win.

It was an efficient afternoon for the 26-year-old as he shot 14-for-26 from the field and 4-for-9 from distance. To keep the good times rolling, this was a massive win as L.A. looks to Monday with Doncic’s debut looming against the Utah Jazz.

Dealing with a left elbow contusion can certainly affect how a player performs, but Reaves credited the fans and adrenaline for getting him through this game.

“I don’t know,” Reaves said after the Lakers’ 124-117 win. “Like I said out there, I think once you get in the moment of the game, you feel the atmosphere, adrenaline starts pumping, that’s when it becomes easier, but before I woke up this morning it was sore all over, elbow especially, and I think they gotta know at like 60 on the clock if you’re in or out, and I was walking off at like 60:05, and my trainer Shane looked at me and it’s like, well, out or in? And I was like, let’s do it. So, it’s tough. But like I said, once you get out there and start playing, then the adrenaline kicks in and you feel better.”

Reaves’ previous career-high came against the Brooklyn Nets with 38 points when he could not get over the hump to get 40. However, this time around was different coming a 4-for-17 shooting night against the Golden State Warriors.

“I think I started the first quarter and made five shots in a row. Anytime that happens, it’s a good feeling,” he said. “It’s much better than going 4-17. But yeah, that obviously helps. And then, I think it’s just the atmosphere that we’re creating as a team. The culture. Any time now, the situation, the guys on the bench, LeBron [James], Luka [Doncic], Gabe [Vincent], anybody, it’s really good, just telling me to keep going. That’s what I try to do. Just try to go out there and win the game.”

Reaves joins a list of Lakers greats to have at least 45 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a game that includes Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and James. As a fan of Bryant, in particular, making that list is special for the 26-year-old.

“I don’t want to get fined or anything, but it’s just it’s surreal, because, like you said, I grew up a Kobe [Bryant] fan. Huge Kobe fan, so I was automatically a Laker fan,” Reaves said. “So just to be able to put the uniform on and go out there and compete, and then, like said, to have a couple of those games to where my name’s in with those guys is special, something that I won’t take for granted. But, yeah, looks weird when you see my name up there.”

By winning five in a row and being 9-1 in their last 10 games, the Lakers are setting themselves up to climb the standings heading into All-Star break. With Doncic and James expected to return against the Jazz, L.A. could become a serious threat in the Western Conference.

Austin Reaves addresses fit concerns with LeBron James & Luka Doncic

Given the magnitude of the pairing of LeBron James and Luka Doncic, many are speculating their fit together in a Lakers jersey. But, Austin Reaves weighed in on those concerns by crediting both players as playmakers rather than pure scorers.

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