Lakers‘ Austin Reaves Delivers Scathing Assessment After historic Thunder Loss
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves didn’t mince words following his team’s stunning 133-107 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, bluntly stating, “We gotta course correct.” The 29-point margin marked the Lakers’ largest loss of the season, raising concerns about the team’s performance as they navigate LeBron James’ continued absence.
The Lakers, currently without their star player due to a sciatica issue, are facing a critical juncture in the early season. Reaves’ candid remark underscores the urgency for enhancement as the team attempts to establish a winning identity while James remains sidelined. The loss to Oklahoma City highlighted notable defensive vulnerabilities and offensive inconsistencies, prompting a need for immediate adjustments.
LeBron James has been absent from all games so far this season while battling a sciatica issue affecting the lower right side of his body. He did participate in a practice session with the South Bay Lakers, the team’s G-League affiliate, on Wednesday, marking his first on-court work with team personnel this season. According to Lakers coach J.J. Redick, James engaged in warm-up drills and approximately 12-15 possessions of 5-on-5 halfcourt play.
“He was able to participate in the practice,” redick told NBA.com. “Got up and down a little bit with just some, like, warm-up transition drills and progressed to 5-on-5 in the halfcourt, and got, I think about 12-to-15 possessions of live 5-on-5 contact.”
The Lakers will look to rebound Friday night against the New Orleans Pelicans. While James remains unavailable for that contest, his progress in practice suggests a potential return to the lineup in the near future.
