Reaves Saves the Lakers, Doncic Seals It: “Perfect Execution”

A high-level battle decided only in the final seconds of overtime. The Los Angeles Lakers edged the Denver Nuggets 127-125 after a game full of dramatic twists.

Everything happened in the closing moments: first the brilliant play by Austin Reaves, then the decisive basket by Luka Doncic, with LeBron James also delivering a hustle play that helped shift the momentum of the game.

Austin Reaves’ clutch play

With 5.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers trailing, Austin Reaves stepped to the free-throw line with a clear plan: create a second opportunity.

His idea was simple – intentionally miss the free throw to try to grab the offensive rebound.

The plan worked perfectly. Reaves bounced the ball short off the rim, recovered the rebound, and scored a floater from about three meters out with 1.9 seconds remaining, tying the game at 118-118 and sending it to overtime.

I knew I was going to miss. I didn’t even want to risk it going in. Some guys shoot it high and it accidentally drops. I think my shot never even went higher than three meters

Austin Reaves

The work under the basket from Deandre Ayton was also crucial, as he boxed out Nikola Jokic, allowing Reaves to chase down the rebound.

According to Doncic, the execution could not have been better.

That was an extremely difficult play. Just the fact that he tied the game basically gave us the win. It was perfect execution

Luka Doncic

Reaves finished the game with 32 points, marking his third straight 30+ point performance.

Doncic hits his first Lakers game-winner

If Reaves saved the game, the star of overtime was Luka Doncic.

With the score tied, the Slovenian superstar created space with his signature move – a step-back from mid-range – and drilled a fadeaway jumper from about 18 feet with 0.5 seconds left on the clock.

I went left… step-back to the left. It’s a shot I’ve taken many times in my life. I trust that shot

Luka Doncic

LeBron James’ hustle play

Before the late-game heroics, another play symbolized the team’s spirit.

With 54.3 seconds remaining and the Lakers trailing 112-111, LeBron James dove on the floor for a loose ball, preventing Christian Braun from grabbing an offensive rebound. Moments later, Jamal Murray tied him up on the floor and the sequence ended with a jump ball at midcourt.

A rare sight – even for a player like James.

Head coach JJ Redick joked about it after the game.

In 23 years of watching you play in the NBA – and the three years before that in high school – I’ve never seen you dive on the floor like that

JJ Redick

James smiled and confirmed the moment.

Every coach teaches you as a kid that the first guy to dive on the ball usually gets it. In that moment, I was just thinking about how important that play was

LeBron James

Lakers surging in the Western Conference

With this win, the Lakers extend their hot streak:

• 5 consecutive wins
• 8 wins in the last 9 games

The team now sits third in the Western Conference, holding a half-game lead over the Houston Rockets, whom they will face twice on the road at the start of a long stretch away from Los Angeles.

For JJ Redick, the team is beginning to find its identity.

It feels like we’re really starting to come together. We still have a long way to go, but the way we’ve handled this stretch is very encouraging

JJ Redick

Perhaps the most interesting takeaway is this: in the decisive moments, the Lakers had more than one answer. Reaves made the play to force overtime, Doncic delivered the shot to win it. Add the defensive intensity in the closing minutes, and it’s easy to see why the team is experiencing one of its best stretches of the season.