The Los Angeles Lakers‘ awful start to the 2023 season had fans wondering about their chances of making it to the playoffs. After having a series of disappointing games and the controversial Russell Westbrook trade, the Lakers finally secured a spot in the playoffs following Tuesday night’s game. It might be safe to say that their play-in matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves was a nerve-wracking affair. Reflecting on the late-game turnover, a Lakers star recently gave his thoughts on the performance put up by the team.

Despite trailing behind the Timberwolves for the majority of the game, the Lakers closed in on the difference and made a startling comeback in the last quarter. They were eventually able to secure a 108-102 win after the game went into overtime.

Lakers star talks about the brutal faceoff

Austin Reaves has come a long way since he signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021. From leading the team in LeBron James‘ absence to finishing as one of the starters, Reaves has arguably become a major asset for the Lakers. Following the play-in game, Spectrum SportsNet caught up to Reaves for a brief interview in the locker room.

When asked about the resilience of the team, Reaves replied, “Oh, a lot. I mean, obviously we didn’t have out best stuff tonight. They[Wolves] come out from the jump and played well.”

When asked about the comeback, Reaves complimented his teammates, saying, “With the talent that we have, you know, you have Bron, AD, D-Lo, you are never really out of the game regardless if its 20-15 whatever.” He added, “We just lock in and you know like you said, chip away, you know you’re never out of the game. That’s was really like the mindset that we have every game.”

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Reaves’ future with the Lakers remains uncertain

Austin Reaves will turn a free agent this summer and the Lakers guard is hoping to stay with the team. During a brief chat with NBA Insider Shams Charania, Reaves revealed his wish to remain a Lakers player for the entirety of his career.

He said, “Obviously, they gave me the first opportunity. I was a huge Laker fan growing up, big Kobe fan, so honestly, just to be able to play for the Lakers organization is special, and I wanna be a Laker, so hopefully we can get this done, and I can stay there for hopefully my whole career.”

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However, there is a possibility that things might not work in his favor. The max deal that the Lakers can offer Reaves is a four-year contract worth $51 million. Therefore, the budding star may leave if offered a more lucrative deal in the offseason.