Austin Reaves claimed he would do "whatever you can do to help the team win", as the Los Angeles Lakers guard exploded for a career-high 51 points, adding 11 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Lakers past the Sacramento Kings 127–120 at Crypto.com Arena.

It was a signature moment for Reaves, who carried a shorthanded Lakers squad missing stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic. With the lineup depleted, Reaves delivered emphatically, scoring in every quarter and becoming just the 12th player in franchise history to record a 50-point game.

Reaves shot 12-for-22 from the field, 6-for-10 from three, and 21-for-22 from the line, even hitting his 500th career three-pointer, which moved him to ninth on the Lakers’ all-time list. He became only the eighth player in franchise history to make 20 or more free throws in a single game.

Despite missing multiple starters, including Jaxson Hayes and Gabe Vincent, Los Angeles stayed in control throughout, holding off Sacramento behind Reaves’ consistency: seven points in the first quarter, 14 in the second, 15 in both the third and fourth.

SUNDAY'S FINAL SCORES

Austin Reaves explodes for a career-high 51 points as the @Lakers pick up the road victory in Sac-Town!

Deandre Ayton: 22 PTS, 15 REB
Rui Hachimura: 18 PTS, 7-10 FGM
Zach LaVine: 32 PTS, 4 3PM
DeMar DeRozan: 21 PTS, 6 REB https://t.co/8MEhuKNagG pic.twitter.com/wpQ0MzMYNN

— NBA (@NBA) October 27, 2025

“I wasn’t in my head thinking, ‘You got to go score 50,’” Reaves said.

“It was, ‘Do whatever you can do to help the team win.'"

“I do think for this group it’s important to know that you can win a basketball game without those two guys,” said coach JJ Redick, referring to James and Doncic.