Austin Reaves makes preseason debut as Lakers defeat Kings again

LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach JJ Redick said his star pairing’s chemistry is “important.” Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves like each other, they enjoy playing together, Redick said Thursday afternoon before the team’s third preseason game.

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“He’s a really good basketball player,” Reaves said. “It’s not hard to play alongside really good basketball players that make the game easy for you.”

In a 114-110 preseason victory over the Sacramento Kings – their second win against their Western Conference foes in four days – Doncic and Reaves had their first taste as the leading act at Crypto.com Arena in the post-LeBron James Era. Doncic tallied a team-high 23 points on 6-for-16 shooting in 25 minutes before making his way to the bench alongside Reaves in the third quarter. Reaves finished with 10 points, six rebounds and eight assists in 24 minutes to mark his preseason debut after he sat out the first two games with a tweaked ankle.

“I like where we’re at,” Redick said after the game. “I think getting a bunch of guys more than that 20 to 21 minutes is good for live play. We’ll look to continue to build up in terms of playing time for a lot of these guys over the next two games.”

Center Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 19 points off the bench on 6-for-9 shooting (3 for 6 from 3-point range), while forward Jake LaRavia continued his impressive preseason showing with 17 points – making three 3-pointers.

The 24-year-old Lakers wing, who is in his second season with the team, is shooting 54.5% from behind the arc through three preseason games.

“I think me being intentional before every game and … all the reflection I did this past summer has really helped,” LaRavia said, referencing the offseason process to rework his jump shot and overall mentality.

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The Lakers turned the ball over 23 times on Thursday night – but also forced 20-plus turnovers for the third consecutive game – and were comfortably outrebounded 47-38. The rebounding is something Redick noted was “bothering” him as a coach, though the Lakers have also played all three preseason games without new center Walker Kessler on the court.

Kessler jammed his finger before the team’s two-game trip to Northern California, but Redick insisted that the team’s most high-profile offseason acquisition will play during the preseason – they have two games left. Redick said he would check in with Kessler on Friday.

Forward Ziaire Williams didn’t play for the second straight game with what Redick called “soreness,” while guards Dalton Knecht and rookie Cameron Carr didn’t play Thursday with contusions suffered in Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. Guard Collin Sexton and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma – who have undisclosed lower-body injuries – also sat out Thursday.

Redick said he is not worried about Sexton being unable to play in the regular-season opener on Oct. 21 against the Warriors.

“Would love to get some news on some people in the next few days and be able to see what we look like at full strength, at least in one of these games,” Redick said. “And just build that rhythm with each other.”

The Lakers’ next preseason game is Tuesday against the Warriors at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, then they conclude their exhibition slate next Friday at home against the Denver Nuggets.

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