Austin Reaves Takes Blame for Lakers' Turnover Woes

The Los Angeles Lakers experienced significant struggles with turnovers in their recent game against the Golden State Warriors, a recurring issue that guard Austin Reaves has openly acknowledged. The team committed a season-high 22 turnovers, contributing to the Warriors' ability to generate easier scoring opportunities.

Reaves himself was a primary contributor to this problem, recording eight turnovers, matching the number he had in the Lakers' previous win against the Clippers. Reflecting on his performance, Reaves stated, “I was terrible again. That’s it.”

This marks a continuation of Reaves' difficulties with ball security. In the game against the Clippers, he posted 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting alongside his eight turnovers. Against the Warriors, while his scoring improved to 21 points on 9-of-19 shooting, with five assists and four rebounds, his turnover count remained high.

Reaves noted that much of his struggles occurred in the first half against the Warriors, with six turnovers recorded before halftime. Three of these came in the second quarter, a period in which the Warriors outscored the Lakers 38-15, erasing a 25-point lead and tying the game at 53.

“Just bad — we were bad,” Reaves said. “That first group that started the second was bad. And like I said, it starts with me, so I’ll be better.” He emphasized the need to handle defensive pressure and strategies with greater poise. For the team, Reaves suggested that building chemistry throughout the regular season could help prevent such issues.

“I mean, it’s real, but it doesn’t give that second unit an excuse to be pretty terrible,” Reaves added. “And that starts with me. And I’ll watch the film, try to be better. You got to learn on the fly and pick up things quickly. But as I said, I have to be better to start that.”