OKC Thunder continue to shut off Austin Reaves in Game 1 win over Lakers
The Oklahoma City Thunder won Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90, with Austin Reaves having a forgettable game with 8 points on 3-of-16 shooting. Reaves struggled against OKC's league-best defense, and his health issues due to an oblique strain may have contributed to his poor performance.
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90 in Game 1 of their NBA playoff Round 2 series. Austin Reaves had a poor game, scoring 8 points on 3-of-16 shooting and providing 6 assists. Reaves has struggled against the Thunder, averaging 16.5 points on 42.5% shooting in six regular-season matchups over the last two seasons. He is still recovering from an oblique strain sustained in OKC's Apr. 2 win over the Lakers. Despite his health issues, Reaves refused to use it as an excuse, stating that he needs to 'play better.' The Thunder's strong defense limited the Lakers' offense, and they cruised to a double-digit win despite a subpar performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Lakers need Reaves to help LeBron James to make the series interesting, but so far, that hasn't been the case.
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