After a bumpy ride in the first half of the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers seem to have found their groove. The Lakers and fans have their playoffs hopes up and running after the last few games. Moreover, fans expect the team’s performances to improve after the return of LeBron James. Meanwhile, a former NBA player dug into an uncomfortable question to the Lakers nation involving rising star Austin Reaves. The former player’s statement prompted adverse reactions from thousands of fans.
In the absence of James, Reaves has been making waves on the court, somehow filling the huge shoes. The rising star scored his career-high 35 points against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Moreover, the 24-year-old has been dropping crucial points in crunch situations regularly. However, Reaves’ spot in the Lakers’ lineup after LeBron’s return is still a mystery for the fans.
Will LeBron James lose his spot?
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Former Chicago Bulls player Jay Williams expressed his perspective on the current situation in the Lakers camp during an ESPN show. He highlighted the improved contribution of Austin Reaves to the team in the absence of LeBron James. He said, “How do you bring back LeBron? When you bring LeBron in this short period, how in the hell is Austin Reaves supposed to continue play at this level?”
Notably, James is yet to recover from his ankle injury and the fans expect the star to return during the postseason. Moreover, Reaves has been in the news lately after he gave a reality check to his teammates during a press interaction. After a frustrating loss against the Mavs, Reaves said to the press, “If you don’t care about losing games that are really meaningful, then what’s the point of playing?”
Meanwhile, the Lakers fans are furious at Williams for his controversial take on James’ inclusion. In response to Williams’ comment, a fan said, “What type of question is this?”
The Lakers’ fans swarmed to defend James
Despite Reaves’ consistent performances in the last few games, the fans were upset over Jay Williams’ comments. Moreover, the fans swarmed the comments sections of the video clip that surfaced on Twitter with their opinions. Following are some reactions from NBA Twitter.
What type of question is this?
— Martez_Delano (@Martez_Delano) March 23, 2023
— kalid 🍇 (@king__kalid) March 23, 2023
The Lakers are currently the 10th seed in the Western Conference with a 36-37 record. The team has a strong opportunity to reach the playoffs with their current form.
They’re acting like this dude is an all-star lol. Nice player for sure but come on
— ⚫️ (@crksokc) March 23, 2023
Are y’all lost ? 😂😂 we know what Reaves looks like with bron 😂 a great role player..
Nobody asking him to score 20+ ppg … he’s doing it rn cause he HAS to for this team to succeed
— NephewOfTheKing👑 (@BuiltbyRoyalty) March 23, 2023
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😂😂😂😂 is this for real? I mean may be that would a concern if the Lakers were undefeated since Lebron got injured but what is he saying?
— rriquenyo (@riqueno) March 23, 2023
Regarding James’ spot in the lineup, the fans have to wait until he returns from the injury. But it is almost certain that the offense will run through him once he returns to the court.
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What do you make of former NBA star Jay Williams’ statement on LeBron James and Austin Reaves? Let us know in the comments below.