Austin Reaves felt a surge of confidence playing alongside Luka Dončić in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ recent victory over the Phoenix Suns. However, his focus remains on a specific matchup: the Denver Nuggets.
Reaves harbors a competitive edge against the Nuggets, largely due to their consecutive playoff eliminations of the Lakers. In 2023, the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, and in 2024, they ousted them in the first round, highlighted by Jamal Murray’s clutch game-winning shots.
Los Angeles Lakers Want To Return The Favor To Playoff Foe
Now, with the addition of Dončić, the Lakers are aiming to settle the score. Reaves, speaking to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, emphasized, “Obviously they’ve kicked our a** the last couple postseasons and we want to return the favor. But you want to beat everybody you play.”
The Nuggets, led by MVP candidate Nikola Jokić, have been a formidable opponent. The Lakers, now featuring Dončić, have climbed to the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a 42-25 record, potentially setting up a battle for the third seed.
LeBron James’ injury will keep him out of the game against the Nuggets, but the Lakers will rely on Reaves and Dončić in the backcourt. In their previous meeting, the Lakers suffered a 131-126 loss. Reaves expressed a pessimistic outlook following that game, partly due to injury absences. However, with Dončić expected to play, the Lakers’ chances of victory are significantly improved.
The Nuggets are entering the game after a back-to-back against the Golden State Warriors, where they rested Christian Braun, Jamal Murray, and Nikola Jokić. All three are expected to play against the Lakers. Despite James’ absence, Reaves and the Lakers are determined to seek revenge at Crypto.com Arena.