Oct 26, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) controls the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Lakers’ Austin Reaves Makes Rare History After 51-Point Outburst vs Kings

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Patrick Warren | Last updated Oct 27, 2025 4:00 PM ET

On a night without star players Luka Doncic and LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers earned their second win of the season fueled by a career performance from guard Austin Reaves.

Reaves scored a career-high 51 points in the Lakers' 127-120 win over the Sacramento Kings. Few of Reaves' points were more impactful than the four free throws he hit in the final 32 seconds of play, turning a three-point lead into a far more comfortable seven-point winning margin.

'Do Whatever You Can'

"Especially on a night where you don't have Luka, you don't have Bron, you don't have Jaxson [Hayes], you got to go out there and be big for the team," Reaves said after the game. "I wasn't in my head thinking, 'You got to go score 50.' It was, 'Do whatever you can do to help the team win.'"

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Reaves was just one assist short of an epic 51-point triple double, and became just the ninth player in NBA history with 51 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in a single game. According to The Athletic's Dan Woike, Reaves joins James Harden and Russell Westbrook as the only players to do so in less than 40 minutes.

Only James Harden and Russell Westbrook have done it less than 40 minutes. Reaves played 39 Sunday in Lakers' 127-120 win in Sacramento https://t.co/QklapfhALd
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) October 27, 2025

"He was fantastic. Did a little bit of everything for us tonight all over the place. Scored the basketball at an incredible level," Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. "Just his tenacity to compete. It's so apparent every single day he's in the gym that he just loves competition, he thrives on competition."

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Of Reaves' 51 points, 30 came in the second half. The Lakers and Kings entered the third quarter tied at 62, and the Lakers — who have struggled in the third quarter this season — closed the period up five points thanks to a 15-point third quarter from Reaves.

"This is a small town kid from Arkansas who went undrafted who last year averaged a 20 ball in the NBA. And he just had a 50 ball," Redick said. "These moments are incredible for him. I think his teammates see that and I know as a coaching staff we see that. He just lives in the moment and he's ready for every single moment that comes and it's a pleasure, it's a pleasure to be around him every day."