Lakers’ Austin Reaves stuns crowd after posterizing Thunder players

With less than five seconds remaining in the opening period, LeBron James handled the ball at the top of the key. Seeing a lane develop, he passed the ball off to a cutting Austin Reaves. The 27-year-old guard didn’t hesitate, slicing between two Oklahoma City Thunder defenders and elevating for a powerful one-handed jam just as the buzzer sounded. The slam capped off a strong start for the Lakers, who trailed 31-30 going into the second quarter.

The highlight play is a continuation of what has been a career-best stretch for Reaves. Despite coming off a recent injury himself, he entered tonight’s contest averaging 30.7 combined points, rebounds, and assists over his last three games. With the offense running through him and LeBron James in Doncic’s absence, Reaves has seen his usage rate skyrocket.

As the game enters the second half, the battle remains tight. LeBron James is nearing another double-double with 18 points and seven assists, while the Oklahoma City Thunder are staying afloat behind a resurgent Jalen Williams.

However, the story of the night so far is the “Hillbilly Kobe” showing off some serious bounce. The Lakers are looking to extend their four-game winning streak, and if Reaves keeps playing with this kind of aggression, they might just topple the best team in the West.