LeBron James was the loud uncle yelling expletives. Luka Dončić was the emoji-era teammate who didn’t need words.
Together, the two Los Angeles Lakers superstars summed up the night in two wildly different ways after Austin Reaves hit a buzzer-beating floater to lift the Lakers over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 116–115, on Wednesday.
James, still sidelined with a sciatic-nerve issue, was watching from home when Reaves broke through the Timberwolves’ defense and hit the shot over Rudy Gobert and Donte DiVincenzo to steal a win. Within seconds, he posted his unfiltered reaction on X, formerly Twitter.
“A-MUTHAF***IN-R!!!!!!!!!!!!!” James wrote, tagging Reaves by his nickname “AR.”
Dončić, nursing a sprained finger and a lower leg contusion, followed moments later with a single emoji — “🐐,” the universal symbol for “Greatest of All Time.”
Their instant responses went viral, amplifying what has become a stunning week for Reaves, who has carried the Lakers during the absence of their two biggest stars.
Austin Reaves’ Breakout Week Continues
The postgame conversation wasn’t just about the win — it was about the way Reaves has taken over the Lakers’ offense while his superstar teammates heal.
Reaves, the undrafted Arkansas native who signed with the Lakers in 2021, has gone from role player to cult hero. He has averaged 40 points and 10 assists over his last three games, including performances of 51 and 41 points before Wednesday’s game-winner.
His buzzer-beater capped another special night — 28 points and career-high tying 16 assists — and pushed the Lakers above .500 at 3–2. Reaves became the only Laker besides Magic Johnson and Jerry West to record at least 170 points and 50 assists through any five-game span.
JJ Redick Praises Reaves’ Leadership
Lakers coach JJ Redick is no longer surprised by Reaves’ game-winning moment.
“That guy is going to show up in the big moments,” Redick said. “I’m not surprised. He’s done that many times in his career.”
But what stood out most to Redick is Reaves’ demeanor after his game-winner.
“We just watched the video. It was awesome. Yeah, it was awesome,” Redick told The Athletic on the way to the bus. “But I’ll tell you what was even more awesome about it. He made the shot and who did he turn and run to? It was his teammates. He ran directly to his teammates.
“He’s established himself as a bad dude. He did that last year. … For me, I think the big thing is he’s established himself as the leader. He’s one of the leaders — or the leader — on the court. And that’s big time. That’s what we want. That’s what we need from him, and he’s done that.”
Reaves’ rapid ascent has turned him into a cornerstone of the Lakers’ early-season resilience. While James and Dončić sit, he’s been the one stabilizing the offense and keeping Los Angeles competitive.
Lakers’ New Star Deflects the Praise
Asked what he thought James and Dončić would say after his performance, Reaves stayed true to form — humble and self-deprecating.
“They’ll probably tell me I suck because I missed 15 shots,” he said with a laugh on the ESPN postgame interview after going 9-of-23 from the field before the final shot.
Later, Reaves acknowledged how much he’s learned from both stars in a short time.
“You know, the camaraderie we’ve built in a short period of time has been great,” Reaves told The Athletic. “We’re going to continue that. Like I said, everybody get back — Luka, hurry up, Bron hurry up.”
Until then, it’s Reaves’ show.
James and Dončić are expected to return soon, but for now, the Lakers belong to Reaves — and both superstars seem happy to let him have the spotlight.
For one night, the franchise’s future and its present merged in a single shot — and two perfectly timed posts.
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