Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves was appreciative of the Jamal Crawford comparison his coach, JJ Redick, said after they picked up their first win in three preseason games.
The compliment came after Reaves scored 21 points in just 23 minutes to lead a short-handed Lakers squad to a 126-116 preseason victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.
“Jamal Crawford was cold,” Reaves said after hearing the comparison for the first time. “I think where [Redick’s] coming from is kind of the creativity offensively. I’m not someone who sits there and plans what I’m about to do. Everything kind of just happens naturally, happens in the flow of the game. I haven’t heard that one, but I like JJ a little more now.”
Crawford, who played 20 NBA seasons and was a three-time Sixth Man of the Year, was one of Redick’s teammates with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Redick Praises Reaves’ Craftiness and Control
Redick said Reaves’ scoring instincts and ability to draw contact reminded him of Crawford’s signature flair.
“He’s so crafty — his ability to draw fouls is impressive,” Redick said. “You put your hand there and he’s able to rise up. I played with Jamal Crawford, who was so good at that. He’s picking up little tricks here and there to get to the free-throw line. He’s always been good at that, but you can see that continue to develop.”
Reaves shot 7-of-10 from the field, 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and added three rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block for the shorthanded Lakers.
Both teams were missing key players. LeBron James (sciatica) and Luka Dončić (rest) sat out for Los Angeles, while Golden State was without Stephen Curry (rest) and Jimmy Butler (rest) and two more starters.
Standing Out in Lakers Camp and Preseason Games
Redick said Reaves’ confidence and control have carried over from practice into games.
“He’s shown flashes so far in the games, but a lot more in practice,” Redick said. “Yesterday, for example, during the scrimmage, he did some things off the bounce — and maybe that was just our poor defense — but the purple team literally couldn’t contain him. He just kind of got wherever he wanted.”
The second-year Lakers head coach added that he has managed Reaves’ workload carefully to keep him fresh through camp, but said the guard’s energy and sharpness have remained consistent.
Minor Scare Ends Quickly
Reaves briefly left Sunday’s game in the third quarter after colliding with Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski, prompting concern about a possible leg injury.
“I’m good. I’m good,” Reaves told reporters afterward.
Redick confirmed that the injury was minor. “[Reaves] got kneed in the posterior anterior calf — or somewhere around there,” he said. “I think he just took a knee to his lower leg muscle. I think he’s fine.”
A Season of Opportunity
Reaves enters the 2025-26 season as one of the Lakers’ primary pieces behind Dončić and James. He declined a four-year, $89.2 million offer from the Lakers earlier this summer and will become an unrestricted free agent next year. According to NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin, Reaves “wants to be paid in the Tyler Herro range of $30 million a year,” referencing the Miami Heat guard’s four-year, $130 million contract.
Reaves averaged 20.2 points last regular season and erupted for a career-high 45 points in a February win over Indiana with both stars sidelined. Performances like Sunday’s reinforce the Lakers’ belief that he can shoulder more responsibility when needed — and perhaps earn the bigger payday he’s been working toward.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Reaves Reacts to Unheard Player Comparison From Lakers Coach appeared first on Heavy Sports.