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Austin Reaves Has Second-Best Scoring Game By An Undrafted Player

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

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Updated6 hours ago on October 27, 2025

Lakers Austin Reaves Has Second-Best Scoring Game By An Undrafted Player

With superstars LeBron James and Luka Doncic sidelined, Austin Reaves scored a career-high 51 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 127-120 road win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

Austin Reaves Became 12th Lakers Player To Post 50-Point Game

Reaves put up seven points in the first quarter, 14 in the second, 15 in the third, and 15 in the fourth to become the 12th player in franchise history to hit the 50-point mark.

It was the second-highest scoring game by an undrafted player in NBA history, behind only Fred VanVleet, who had 54 at Orlando on Feb. 2, 2021, while with the Toronto Raptors.

Reaves, 27, became just the third player to drop a 50 burger during the first week of the 2025-26 season, joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Aaron Gordon.

Reaves became the fifth Lakers player this century to score 50 points in a single game, joining Kobe Bryant (25x), LeBron James (3x), Anthony Davis (2x), and Shaquille O’Neal (2x).

In addition to recording 11 rebounds and nine assists, Reaves finished 12-for-22 (54.5%) shooting from the floor, 6-of-10 (60%) from 3-point range, and 21-for-22 (95.5%) from the foul line in 39 minutes of action.

His fourth 3-pointer of the night was the 500th of his career, which already ranks him No. 9 on the franchise’s all-time list of made 3s. He also became just the eighth Lakers player to hit 20 free throws or more in a game.

“Especially on a night where you don’t have Luka, you don’t have Bron, you don’t have Jaxson [Hayes], you got to go out there and be big for the team,” Reaves said. “I wasn’t in my head thinking, ‘You got to go score 50.’ It was, ‘Do whatever you can do to help the team win.'”

Reaves Plays His Best With Doncic, James Sidelined

Doncic was ruled out Sunday morning with a left finger sprain and a left lower leg contusion, and the five-time All-Star guard will be sidelined for approximately a week before being re-evaluated.

Meanwhile, James is expected to remain out for several more weeks due to sciatica on his right side, and he didn’t even make the trip to Sacramento, instead staying in Los Angeles to rehab.

“I do think for this group it’s important to know that you can win a basketball game without those two guys,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said, referring to James and Doncic.

Reaves seems to play at his best when the Lakers are without both superstars.

When the future Hall of Famers were sidelined last season, Reaves scored 45 points at home against the Indiana Pacers (Feb. 8) and 37 at Denver (March 14).

The Lakers host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.