Austin Reaves return sparks a dominant Lakers win in Brooklyn
The Lakers closed out their road trip with a win against the Brooklyn Nets, 125-109. LeBron James led the way for Los Angeles with 25 points, and Luka Doncic helped out with 24 points. This win comes after a tough loss against the New York Knicks.
This was Austin Reaves’ first game back, and he provided a much-needed jolt to the Lakers’ offense. He finished with 15 points in limited action off the bench. Now, Los Angeles will head back home for an eight-game homestand.
THE LAKERS CAP OFF THE ROAD TRIP WITH A BLOWOUT WIN IN BROOKLYN 🔥 pic.twitter.com/lExilPx98X
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) February 4, 2026
Austin Reaves Impact
With Reaves back, the Lakers have another threat on the offensive end. This may not have been his best shooting night, but he still impacted the game by getting to the free-throw line ten times.
Reaves is one of the best in the league when it comes to drawing contact and can now take control of ball-handling duties when Luka Doncic is off the court.
Doncic and Reaves are explosive players when on the court together, and combined before the Reaves’ injury, were the highest-scoring backcourt in the league. If Reaves had not gotten injured, this would have been an All-Star season for him as he was averaging 26.6 points, five rebounds, and six assists.
Trade deadline looming
The NBA trade deadline is less than 48 hours away, and the Lakers have not made a move as of yet. There have been many rumors regarding the likes of Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, and Dalton Knecht. The way the current roster is constructed, Rob Pelinka and the front office need to make moves.
Some areas of focus for the front office have been wing depth and three-point shooting. These coming days will be telling when it comes to how serious the front office is regarding this season.
The Lakers will be back at home on Thursday, taking on the Philadelphia 76ers.
