Lakers News: Team USA, Austin Reaves Win 3rd Straight Warm-Up Game, 98-88, Over Spain
With a hair under two weeks remaining before the start of 2023 FIBA World Cup tournament play, Team USA endured its toughest test yet Sunday, against top-ranked Team Spain.
Though things were unnervingly close even in the waning minutes of play, Team USA hung on to eke out a double-digit margin of victory (just barely), 98-88.
Your Los Angeles Lakers' only rep on the team this year, newly re-signed starting shooting guard Austin Reaves, enjoyed a third straight excellent game off the bench for the club. He chipped in 11 points on 4-of-6 field goal shooting and chipped in two boards and two dimes.
In the third quarter, Spain went on a 9-0 run to get within a point, 55-54. Reaves' two-way play in that frame helped trigger a key run for Team USA. In three consecutive possessions, Reaves first dished out a dime to a cutting Mikal Bridges, pulled up for a jumper, and finally swipped the ball defensively that led to a leakout Team USA fast break.
Team USA's lead had shrunk to just four points, 83-79, midway through the fourth quarter. That's when Reaves got cooking with some timely baskets, thanks to the solid two-man game he's been developing with Indiana Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who slipped him this tactical weak-side pass with Team Spain's defensive energy concentrated elsewhere:
This summer is proof positive that Reaves' late-season breakout was no fluke. The kid is legit, and the Lakers may have gotten away with the free agent steal of the summer in inking the 25-year-old out of Oklahoma to a very reasonable three-year, $53.8 million contract.
New York Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson led the club in scoring 21 points on 9-of-9 shooting from the floor. He also chipped in five assists. Memphis Grizzlies Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 14 points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked three shots.
Brooklyn Nets wing Mikal Bridges scored 12 points, while Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star shooting guard Anthony Edwards and New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (the former No. 2 draft pick of your Los Angeles Lakers in 2016) also scored 11 points. Haliburton had a team-high 12 dimes. Team USA connected on a hyper-efficient 66.6% of its field goal tries (40-of-60). Team Spain was paced in scoring by Santi Aldama (14 points) and NBA vet Willy Hernangomez (13 points).
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