The Los Angeles Lakers narrowly defeated the Brooklyn Nets 102-101 on January 17, 2025, with Austin Reaves shining brightly, netting his career-high 38 points, even amid injuries to key players.
It was no ordinary matchup for the Lakers, who welcomed former player D’Angelo Russell back to Crypto.com Arena, but this time wearing the Brooklyn Nets' colors. Russell, traded to the Nets from L.A. last month, was aiming to showcase his skills against his old team. The Lakers were struggling to maintain their position among the elite teams of the Western Conference, needing a win to stay competitive.
Entering the game, the Lakers were holding onto the sixth seed in the Western Conference with a 21-17 record, just one game behind the L.A. Clippers at No. 5 and only two games ahead of the Golden State Warriors at No. 11. The Nets, meanwhile, languished at the bottom of the standings with a 14-27 record.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, Anthony Davis was unable to play due to plantar fasciitis, prompting Jaxson Hayes to fill the starting center position. Davis had been averaging 25.8 points and nearly 12 rebounds per game, making his absence felt. Coach JJ Redick remarked, "He went through his pregame warmup and had some soreness... out of an abundance of caution, we held him out tonight." The Lakers also were without Dorian Finney-Smith, who missed the game due to personal reasons after welcoming his newborn son earlier this week.
Despite the shuffling of the lineup, the Lakers pushed through, led by Reaves and LeBron James, who notched 29 points and eight assists. The crowd at Crypto.com found itself invigorated as Reaves, who had stepped up significantly since Russell's departure, displayed his shooting prowess, keeping the Lakers competitive.
The game featured dramatic ups and downs. After some initial struggles, L.A. managed to surge back with Reaves and James combining for 25 of the Lakers’ 30 fourth-quarter points. Yet, it was Russell’s miss of a potential game-winning three-pointer with just 4.6 seconds remaining, after trading barbs with the Lakers' defensive stop, which sealed the deal for L.A.
Redick acknowledged the lackadaisical effort on the defensive end, observing, "We weren’t very good tonight." Following the 117-108 comeback victory over Miami just days earlier, the team knew they needed to capitalize on the Nets' poor form, especially after Brooklyn had just suffered their worst loss ever—a 59-point defeat to the Clippers.
Throughout the night, the electric atmosphere fluctuated, as the crowd felt the tension of the tight score. After early scores from James and Hayes, both teams engaged in several scoring spurts, but neither was able to establish dominance.
Reaves's performance displayed not just resolve but also tactical intelligence as he consistently found his rhythm. He reflected after the game, "We know it hasn’t been pretty. We made mistakes, but at the end of the day, it’s about the win. Whether it’s by one or sixty, it counts the same.”
Russell’s return sparked interest, naturally motivating him to perform well against his former teammates. But even with significant scoring attempts, Russell could not prevent his new team from falling short, with Brooklyn's head coach already preparing for Russell's high-volume shooting style. Redick’s strategy hinged on minimizing the impact of Russell, noting the Lakers had to lean on their youth players—Milton, Vincent, and Christie—to control Russell’s offensive efforts.
The Lakers now turn their attention to their next challenging matchup against the L.A. Clippers, set to take place on January 21, 2025, as they look to regain greater consistency. The hope is to have both Davis and Finney-Smith back on the court, which would strengthen their depth significantly.
Overall, though the game may not have been the most polished performance from the Lakers, the victory provided much-needed momentum as they fight to secure their playoff positioning. Their efficient scoring led by Reaves may have laid the groundwork for future success as the season progresses.