Reaves and Doncic shine in overtime showdown for the Lakers

LOS ANGELES — In a game where nearly every Lakers player made significant contributions to secure a 127-125 overtime victory against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, perhaps the most pivotal moment was a deliberate missed shot by Austin Reaves.

In this instance, Reaves intentionally missed a free throw with 5.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

He ricocheted the ball off the left side of the front rim, retrieved the offensive rebound, and made a 9-foot floater with 1.9 seconds remaining to equalize the score at 118-118, necessitating overtime.

“I mean, I knew I was going to miss,” stated Reaves, who led L.A. with 32 points, surpassing 30 for the third consecutive game. “I wasn’t going to give the ball a chance to go in. Some players shoot it high and accidentally make it. But I don’t think my shot ever reached 10 feet.”

Deandre Ayton was the sole Lakers player positioned on the left block, effectively boxing out three-time MVP Nikola Jokic under the basket, which allowed Reaves a clear opportunity to chase the rebound.

“It was very challenging to execute, and for him to tie the game, that essentially secured our win,” Luka Doncic remarked. “That execution was flawless.”

This set the stage for more late-game heroics from Doncic at the conclusion of the extra period when, with the score tied, he made an 18-foot stepback, fadeaway jump shot with 0.5 seconds left to give the Lakers a two-point lead. On Denver’s next possession, he blocked a 3-pointer from former teammate Tim Hardaway Jr. at the buzzer to clinch the victory.

“I went to my left hand, to my left stepback,” Doncic explained. “I’ve done that a few times in my career, so I just trust the shot.”

While Doncic — who concluded the game with 30 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds for his eighth triple-double of the season — was humble about following up his first 50-point game as a Laker with his first game-winner for the franchise, his teammate, LeBron James, praised the 27-year-old star.

“Just a huge shot by a generational player,” James said. “He’s just a big-time player, man. … We wanted the last shot. We wanted to put the ball in our guy’s hands. …

“This will be just the first of many game-winners like that for him in a Lakers uniform.”

Just as Doncic’s shot would not have occurred without Reaves’ floater, Reaves’ floater might not have happened without the effort James displayed with under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter.

With the Lakers down 112-111 with 54.3 seconds left, James fully extended his body to dive for a loose ball, preventing Christian Braun from securing an offensive rebound and forcing a jump ball at center court when Jamal Murray tied him up on the floor.

“I told [James] after the game, I said, ‘In 23 years of watching you play in the NBA, and the three years I watched you in high school, I never saw you make a full-out extension dive like that,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He replied, ‘You’re right, I’ve never done that.’

Redick mentioned he instructed his team to approach Saturday’s game as if it were a playoff match, with the tiebreaker for the season series against Denver at stake and implications for postseason positioning. James noted that this message resonated, resulting in a collective effort akin to what he demonstrated on that play.

“I think all of us have heard it from our coaches since we were young: The first player to the floor usually gets the ball,” said James, who recorded 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 40 minutes of play. “So, that’s just my little league coach echoing in my head at that moment, recognizing the importance of it.”

The Lakers also received vital contributions from Marcus Smart (21 points, five steals), who had a steal leading to a go-ahead layup with 46.8 seconds left in the fourth and followed that with a go-ahead 3-pointer with 30.7 seconds remaining in overtime; and from Deandre Ayton (nine points, nine rebounds), who contributed four points on 2-for-2 shooting, two rebounds, and a block on Jokic in overtime.

Jokic (24 points, 16 rebounds, 14 assists) managed only 1-for-4 shooting with two points and one rebound in overtime.

“It was only fitting that everyone on the floor contributed in some way to secure that win,” Doncic said.

The Lakers have now won five consecutive games and eight of their last nine, moving up to No. 3 in the Western Conference standings. They hold a half-game advantage over the No. 4 Houston Rockets, whom L.A. will face on Monday and Wednesday in Houston as the first two contests of their upcoming six-game road trip.

“Is ‘coalesce’ a word? Is that the right word? For coming together?” Redick inquired. “I think it feels like we’re coalescing right now in a really positive way. We still have a long way to go, but certainly optimistic about how we managed this stretch of games. … It’s significant.”