Lakers: Austin Reaves Reminded Everyone What a Weapon He Can Be For Los Angeles

On a night where the Lakers needed all of the help they could get, Austin Reaves showed up in a really big way.

When we think of this Lakers lineup, we don't often think of depth as a strong suit. And that's because, for the most part, Los Angeles has desperately lacked that with this new-look roster. All season long, Vogel has been looking for guys to take command from the bench with a select few stepping up.

One of those guys has certainly been Austin Reaves. The undrafted Oklahoma product made his presence known very early in the season, fast enough to earn a contract right out of the gates. 

On Saturday night, Reaves once again reminded Lakers fans just how much of a threat he can be off of the bench. And Frank Vogel loved every second of seeing him on the court against Golden State. 

“He’s a solid all-around player and he was very impressive down the stretch. Making big plays offensively. He’s got a great computer to process help and see whether if he’s going to shoot or whether he’s going to make the extra pass and obviously he’s got a lot of guts to make big shots. And he really competes on the defensive end and has a good IQ down on that end. And he had a hell of a night.”

Reaves put up 13 points and shot perfectly, landing all 5 of his field-goal attempts and draining 2 of 2 free throws. But it was on defense where he made himself known for the Lakers. 

Reaves played all 12 minutes of a very tight fourth quarter. Without Raves in there, the Lakers don't come close to the Warriors in that contest. 

“Nothing has impressed me anymore on Austin. I mean, he’s been doing it all year when he’s had the opportunity. The kid has hit a game-winner this year. He’s made big plays over and over offensively and defensively. So nothing has surprised me." -LeBron James 

That's been a reoccurring theme for Reaves this season. He always seems to be in the right spots, and teammates often praise his basketball IQ and willingness to do whatever it takes for the team. 

That's the kind of guy that helps a team win a championship.