Austin Reaves added another big performance to his growing resume on Anthony Davis’ first trip back to Los Angeles, powering the Los Angeles Lakers to a 129–119 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night to clinch Western Conference Group B in the NBA Cup and secure a spot in next week’s quarterfinals.
Reaves erupted for 38 points, eight rebounds and three assists, outscoring Davis by more than three-to-one on the night the former Lakers superstar returned from a 14-game absence with a strained calf. Davis managed 12 points on 10 shots in 30 minutes, but the two shared a moment afterward, swapping jerseys at Davis’ request.
“He’s one of the best players to ever touch a basketball,” Reaves said. “I don’t know why he wanted my jersey, but to get his is pretty special. I’ve got a lot of love for AD. He’s a big reason why I’m here today. From day one, he told me to be myself and keep working. I owe him a lot.”
Reaves’ All-Star Surge Continues: Top-10 Scoring, Elite Efficiency
Reaves’ dominance has now pushed him into the top 10 in NBA scoring, ranking ninth at 28.5 points per game. He toyed with the Mavericks’ defense, knocking down 12 of his 15 shot attempts while controlling the pace of the offense. His 51.6% shooting ranks fourth among all NBA shooting guards, while his 6.7 assists per game put him 16th in the league among all players.
Davis, who spent four seasons alongside Reaves in Los Angeles, said none of this is surprising.
“He always had it,” Davis said. “With LeBron being out, he got to be that No. 2 option and control the ball. And even with LeBron back, they trust him. When I was here, I loved his game. Now he’s doing it every night.”
Reaves is on pace to shatter last season’s numbers, when he averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists. Through 15 games this year, he is posting 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists, driving the Lakers’ offense with star-level consistency.
Reaves’ Exploding Market Value Sets Up Massive Free-Agency Decision
Reaves’ breakout comes at a defining moment in his career. After declining a four-year, $89.2 million offer from the Lakers last summer, he is expected to opt out of his $14.9 million player option and hit unrestricted free agency.
League executives believe his earning power could explode.
According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, the NBA’s rising salary cap could push Reaves’ max offer from other teams to around $42 million per year, placing him in the same tier as stars like Trae Young.
“If he plays well, there will be offers north of $40 million for him,” Woike said on The Zach Lowe Show. “His max from another team starts around $42 million. He and Trae — those are the free agents everyone’s watching.”
Under league rules, the Lakers are the only team allowed to offer Reaves a five-year maximum contract, projected at $240.7 million, per Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale. Other teams are capped at four years and $178.5 million. A four-year max from the Lakers would reach $185.9 million.
With at least 10 teams expected to hold major cap space next summer, Reaves is poised to become one of the most coveted free agents on the market.
Lakers Eye 2nd NBA Cup Title
Though Davis struggled statistically in his return, his influence on Reaves’ career was unmistakable Wednesday — especially as Reaves talked about what Davis meant to him during their time as teammates.
The Lakers’ win keeps them atop Group B and pushes them closer to their second NBA Cup title — with their new star, Austin Reaves, rapidly climbing into All-Star territory.
Luka Dončić added 35 points and 11 assists while LeBron James had 13 points and 7 assists for the Lakers, who now have the second-best odds to win the NBA Cup. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the odds-on favorite with 53% odds, according to Polymarket — the world’s largest prediction market, which recently received a $2 billion investment, per Gaming America — with the Lakers coming in a distant second with 15% odds.
But if the Lakers’ Big 3 continue to play this well, all bets are off.
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