Against seemingly all odds, after stat geeks gave them only a 0.3% chance of doing so early in the season, the Los Angeles Lakers made it to the 2023 NBA playoffs. They had to blitz through the final six weeks of their schedule and survive a scare in the play-in tournament versus the Minnesota Timberwolves just to get there.
Once there, they faced the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies, an edgy team led by the mercurial Ja Morant. Many figured the Lakers were about to experience an early playoff exit at the hands of Memphis despite their best efforts.
In the fourth quarter of Game 1, with the contest up for grabs, Austin Reaves decided to become a hero.
He scored 14 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field, and in one stretch he put in nine straight points to grow L.A.’s lead from two to eight with 1:31 left.
The undrafted guard finished with 23 points and four assists, and he couldn’t help but exclaim after one of his clutch fourth-quarter baskets.
'I'M HIM"
Austin Reaves letting the world know 🗣 pic.twitter.com/9y15iGbAh0
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 16, 2023
The Lakers’ 128-112 win seemed to set the tone for the series. They claimed victory in six games, while Reaves’ stock continued to grow.
