LOS ANGELES – The game between the Lakers and Kings did not start in Los Angeles’ favor.

They were without LeBron James, who was out with illness before the game even started, and a strong Sacramento team took a 20-19 lead midway through the first quarter.

Austin Reaves reacted violently to the Kings’ offensive attack. He scored 26 points and dished out a career-best 16 assists to help the Lakers win 132-122.

LA has now won two games in a row and four of their last five.

They won the season series against the Kings and look to be a formidable team in the West.

This performance from Reaves may have been impressive given his assist numbers, but he has continued to make positive progress this season and is a threat on the ball.

“I don’t think tonight is a departure from what he can do when we’re fully healthy,” JJ Redick said after the win. “I don’t see it that way. I think he’ll obviously take the second or third most shots most nights. I think he’ll have the ball, of course. He is the main carer. He will obviously be involved in pick-and-rolls and dribble handoffs. At the beginning of the season, we did one or two ATOs (after the timeout) for him every game. We kind of got away from it for a while and then he got hurt. But for us, a lot of the things we do to get starting players and starting quarterbacks are all movement-based and he’s a major part of all the movement things we do.”

This was always the path Reaves took, but there were growing pains along the way.

In recent years he has shown incredible performances with the ball in his hands. His “I’m Him” game was his coming out against the Memphis Grizzlies in the playoffs. Towards the end of the game, he made one basket after another, leading the Lakers to victory and ultimately the series win.

However, he also had other games in which he struggled with the ball as taller, more physical defenders and wingers would disrupt his rhythm.

However, such moments are rare during the 2024-25 campaign.

Against the Kings, De’Aaron Fox tried to get possession of the ball from Reaves, but it was an exercise in futility. Reaves was able to handle the guard’s speed and physicality and take his spots on the court, with the option of being the facilitator or the attacker still on the table.

On Saturday evening, both decisions proved to be right for Austin.

The Lakers won by double digits, but it was anything but a smooth win. The battle was tight early in the second half and it took Reaves leading the way to turn the tide in LA’s favor.

“We want teams to fight as much as possible,” Reaves said after the game. “That’s where I think you could have really big quarters and games if you get past your guy, swing him in the corner, that guy if you get a three, you get a lob on AD. Really just create an advantage for yourself.”

In the third quarter, Austin had back-to-back dimes that led to a pull-up by Anthony Davis and a layup by Rui Hachimura. Later in the quarter, he faced D’Angelo Russell, who hit an incredible reverse layup that had the crowd at Crypto.com Arena cheering.

Reaves added two more dimes for good measure and the Lakers were up by 17 heading into the final frame.

Such an outstanding performance should not be the standard or expectation for Austin. However, it reminds all viewers that his professional history is currently written with a comma and not a period.

He still has room to grow, and given his work ethic and willingness to soak up information like a sponge, limiting Austin’s potential is unwise.

Now in his fourth season in the NBA, he is averaging 17.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He has established himself as a true starter on the Lakers’ roster and is a player Redick can trust to start and end games.

With the team’s biggest star absent, Reaves was able to take on more on-ball duties and keep the Lakers afloat while LeBron was out.

A little more rest for the King and a win against the Kings is the ultimate win-win scenario the Lakers have been hoping for. Thanks to Austin’s performance, LA can hope to end the year on a high note by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers at home on New Year’s Eve.

If they succeed, it would be their 19th win of the season. That’s a win total they didn’t reach until Jan. 9 last year, when they were at even .500 this season.

Such improvement with largely the same personnel is a testament to the culture Redick is developing, the support he has received from his stars and the development of his younger players.

Austin Reaves may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of this team’s young talent, but make no mistake: he is far from a finished product and his development could raise this team’s ceiling and it catapult back into competition.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.