Austin Reaves Hits Buzzer-Beater, Lifts Lakers 116-115 Over Wolves/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Austin Reaves delivered a buzzer-beating floater to lift the depleted Lakers past the Timberwolves 116-115 in Minneapolis. With LeBron James and Luka Doncic sidelined, Reaves posted 28 points and 16 assists. His late-game leadership continues to anchor L.A.’s early-season push.
Lakers Rely on Austin Reaves Quick Looks
- Reaves nailed a game-winning floater at the buzzer vs. Timberwolves.
- Lakers edged Minnesota 116-115 despite missing six key players.
- Reaves finished with 28 points, 16 assists on 9-of-24 shooting.
- LeBron James and Luka Doncic both missed the road trip due to injuries.
- Coach J.J. Redick called Reaves “a bad dude” and team leader.
- Reaves became first Laker since Kobe to open season with 5 straight 25-point games.
- Buzzer-beater avenged his missed game-tying shot from last year’s playoffs.
- Wolves erased 20-point deficit, took lead with 10 seconds left.
- Reaves had 51 and 41 points in his two prior games.
- Said he’s embracing the load but eager for teammates’ return.
Deep Look
Austin Reaves Buzzer-Beater Seals Win for Short-Handed Lakers Over Timberwolves
MINNEAPOLIS — With a depleted roster and two superstars sidelined, the Los Angeles Lakers once again turned to Austin Reaves—and he delivered in dramatic fashion.
On Wednesday night, Reaves sank a buzzer-beating floater from 12 feet out, giving the Lakers a thrilling 116-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. With LeBron James and Luka Doncic both recovering from injuries at home, the spotlight fell on Reaves, who didn’t blink in the clutch.
“I think we all knew that was ballgame,” rookie Dalton Knecht said, recalling the final possession where Reaves weaved through a double-team and banked home the winner.
The play capped off another standout performance from Reaves, who finished with 28 points and matched a career high with 16 assists—despite shooting just 9-of-24 from the field. The Lakers, missing six key contributors including Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent, leaned heavily on Reaves, who has quickly become the team’s offensive anchor.
“Physically it’s a little more, but I’m always mentally trying to figure out how I can help,” Reaves said. “With them two [James and Doncic] and without them two.”
The Moment and the Mindset
Reaves admitted afterward that he didn’t even see the shot go in.
“I probably blacked out a little bit,” he said, after spinning toward the Lakers’ bench and leaping into a mob of cheering teammates.
Head coach J.J. Redick, watching Reaves take over once again, had nothing but praise. “What tier he is, I don’t know. I don’t care about that,” Redick said. “But I think last year he established himself as a bad dude. This is who he is.”
James and Doncic, both watching from afar, quickly shared their reactions on social media, celebrating the clutch moment. Reaves, unfazed, brushed off the online praise with humility, but there’s no doubt he’s stepping into a larger role with growing confidence.
Revenge and Redemption
The buzzer-beater carried added weight for Reaves, who missed a potential game-tying shot from the corner on the same court last spring in Game 4 of the Lakers’ playoff series against Minnesota. That miss helped the Timberwolves close out the series in Game 5.
“To have that opportunity for a big road win, especially with a lot of people out, is special,” Reaves said. “We kept hooping, and they kept encouraging me to go do what I do.”
This time, he finished the job—and in doing so, gave the Lakers a much-needed lift in a competitive Western Conference.
Another Kobe-Like Start
The game-winning performance continues an impressive early-season run for Reaves. After scoring 51 points against Sacramento on Sunday and 41 in a loss to Portland on Monday, Reaves became the first Laker since Kobe Bryant in 2005 to open a season with five consecutive 25-point games.
For a player who went undrafted in 2021 out of Oklahoma and was once better known for his baseball skills than basketball dreams, the rise has been remarkable.
In his postgame interview, Reaves reflected on telling his mom’s best friend at age 7 that he’d play in the NBA. “At the time, I didn’t even really like basketball,” he laughed. “I was a baseball kid.”
Now, he’s the face of the Lakers during a critical stretch.
Holding the Line Without Stars
With Doncic and James both nursing injuries, Reaves has taken over as the primary ball-handler and playmaker. Opposing defenses have responded by trapping and blitzing him heavily, but his poise and playmaking have kept the Lakers competitive.
Even as the Wolves surged late—turning a 20-point third-quarter deficit into a one-point lead with just 10 seconds left—Reaves remained locked in. His clutch 3-pointer with four minutes left stretched the lead to 112-101 before Minnesota’s 14-2 rally.
But it was Reaves who had the final say, delivering the kind of game-winning shot that fans and teammates won’t soon forget.
“The camaraderie that we’ve built in a short period of time has been great,” Reaves said. “And we’re going to continue to do that.”
With every passing game, Reaves is proving that he’s not just a stopgap solution in the absence of stars—he’s the heart of a team still fighting to return to playoff form.
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