The Los Angeles Lakers needed all their stars to step up Monday. Austin Reaves especially after the Oklahoma City Thunder cooked him fiercely in Game 3. Reaves retaliated in a big way against Jaylin Williams during Game 4 of the NBA Playoffs.
By busting out some sick handles inside Crypto Arena early in the Monday night showdown.
Reaves started from the end of the corner 3-point line. He dribbled inside while squared up on Williams. Reaves dribbled behind his back first, before crossing over the NBA champion forward for this wicked finger roll layup.
AUSTIN REAVES WITH THE CRAZY HANDLES FOR THE BUCKET 😮pic.twitter.com/Y1d7DD1I9b
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 12, 2026
An aggressive Reaves is what the Lakers need to avoid the sweep from the Thunder. Reaves has struggled during this second round playoff series.
The Lakers even received criticism for paying Reaves $150 million with the way the forward has played versus OKC. The Thunder constantly torched Reaves on the defensive side. He’s even looked to the refs in complaining about foul calls that don’t swing his way.
Worse for Reaves? He looked overmatched and overwhelmed facing Ajay Mitchell, who’s the 15th-best paid player on the Thunder. Mitchell poured 24 points in Game 3 to help spearhead the 131-108 Thunder rout. Reaves scored only 17 points while becoming one assist shy from a double-double. But he turned the ball over a team-worst five times.
Reaves fired off to a fast start this time, though, by delivering eight points through his first 15 minutes of action. The guard also delivered two blocks on the defensive side, silencing critics who called him out for his lack of defense. But his Lakers trailed for most of the second quarter.
The Los Angeles Lakers needed all their stars to step up Monday. Austin Reaves especially after the Oklahoma City Thunder cooked him fiercely in Game 3. Reaves retaliated in a big way against Jaylin Williams during Game 4 of the NBA Playoffs. By busting out some sick handles inside Crypto Arena early in the Monday night showdown.
