The Los Angeles Lakers fell 132-119 to the San Antonio Spurs in Wednesday’s NBA Cup clash at crypto.com Arena, and Austin Reaves shared his thoughts on the team’s performance and areas for improvement.
Reaves noted the Lakers’ defensive matchup challenges, comparing San Antonio’s coverage to Phoenix’s style. “We just played better in the fourth quarter… we know what we need to do, we just got to execute it,” he said.
On-ball defense was a major focus, and Reaves stressed the importance of team-wide accountability. “It just had to be better. There’s so much talent in this league. We just have to guard everybody and be better,” he added.
Physically, Reaves said he felt fine despite carrying a significant load in the game. “Just didn’t get the ball to go in the basket,” he said, referencing the Lakers’ continued struggles in limiting opponents’ three-point efficiency.
He acknowledged a critical stretch late in the first half where turnovers and Spurs buckets widened the gap. “It just wasn’t good for us… impressive play by a 41-year-old man, but we lost,” Reaves said, noting LeBron James’ impact on the sequence.
Reaves emphasized the need for growth in defensive continuity and reliability. “There’s a lot of room for growth… we have to be a group that guards with five people, play hard, and know rotations,” he said, reflecting the team’s commitment to improvement despite the loss.
Statistically, Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 35 points, and LeBron James nearly recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists. Reaves contributed 15 points, but the Lakers could not match San Antonio’s balanced attack.
Stephon Castle returned from a 10-game absence to lead the Spurs with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, while De’Aaron Fox added 20 points to secure the team’s advancement to the NBA Cup semifinals.
San Antonio exploited the Lakers’ perimeter defense with a 17-2 run in the first half and maintained double-digit leads for most of the game. The Spurs will face defending champion Oklahoma City in Las Vegas on Saturday.
