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Austin Reaves, despite being moved to the bench, played 35 minutes in the Lakers' game, with the team's coach emphasizing that it wasn't a demotion but a realignment, likening it to the Spurs' use of Manu Ginobili. Reaves made key plays and expressed understanding of the move, stating that winning is the main thing.
Can Austin Reaves play a Manu Ginóbili role for the Lakers? Head coach Darvin Ham certainly seems to think so following Friday’s win in Phoenix. @LakersSBN https://t.co/gxLZzYkLdA
Austin Reaves was benched for the first time this season but stressed ‘winning is the main thing’ during his postgame availability. Is this the start of a sixth-man role for Reaves? @LakersSBN https://t.co/6VDnreGX7Y
Austin Reaves Moved To Bench Role https://t.co/pcWIgu1Lwa
Austin Reaves admits you don’t want a conversation with coach on having to be better as team and coming off bench as a competitor. But he said his parents taught him the coach is the coach and winning is main thing. He said he could see move coming and “needed to shake things up”
Ham compared Reaves' move to the bench to the Spurs bringing Manu Ginobili off the bench through the years.
Darvin Ham says Austin Reaves' move to the bench isn't a "demotion" but a "realignment."
Darvin Ham on Reaves after the lineup switch, citing the Spurs: “Everyone knew Manu (Ginobili) was a starter - it was more about balancing the units. (Austin) still played 35 minutes. His minutes weren’t going to go down; he’s gonna finish the game. He was huge down the stretch.”
Darvin Ham says bringing Austin Reaves off the bench “wasn’t a demotion.” He likened it to Manu coming off the bench and balancing the Lakers unit. Ham thought it would allow Reaves to play freely and still finish.
Austin Reaves, demoted out of the starting lineup tonight, made many key plays down the stretch and helped close the way I thought he would going into the season.
Despite coming off the bench, Austin Reaves has played the third-most minutes for the Lakers behind only LeBron James and Anthony Davis.