{"id":92668,"date":"2025-08-23T14:44:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T14:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=92668"},"modified":"2025-08-23T14:44:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T14:44:08","slug":"report-austin-reaves-is-finally-turning-his-biggest-weakness-into-strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=92668","title":{"rendered":"REPORT!! Austin Reaves Is Finally Turning His Biggest Weakness Into Strength"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"relative z-10\">\n<div class=\"article-intro mb-4 text-darkGrey font-group-large md:font-group-normal lg:font-group-large\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>The defensive deficiencies of the Los Angeles Lakers guard have been overstated.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"mb-0 md:mb-9 relative md:mx-10 md:mb-9\">\n<figure>\n<div class=\"overflow-hidden bg-lightGrey\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_1110,y_77,w_3227,h_1815\/c_fill,w_360,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k397azsqtg7gd6ea2n.jpg 1x,  \nhttps:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_1110,y_77,w_3227,h_1815\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k397azsqtg7gd6ea2n.jpg 2x, \n    https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_1110,y_77,w_3227,h_1815\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k397azsqtg7gd6ea2n.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 719px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_1110,y_77,w_3227,h_1815\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k397azsqtg7gd6ea2n.jpg 1x, \nhttps:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_1110,y_77,w_3227,h_1815\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k397azsqtg7gd6ea2n.jpg 2x, \n    https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_1110,y_77,w_3227,h_1815\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k397azsqtg7gd6ea2n.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 1079px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_1110,y_77,w_3227,h_1815\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k397azsqtg7gd6ea2n.jpg 1x, \nhttps:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_1110,y_77,w_3227,h_1815\/c_fill,w_2160,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k397azsqtg7gd6ea2n.jpg 2x,\n    https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_1110,y_77,w_3227,h_1815\/c_fill,w_2160,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k397azsqtg7gd6ea2n.jpg 3x\" media=\"(min-width: 1080px)\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full\" title=\"Houston Rockets v Los Angeles Lakers\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_1110,y_77,w_3227,h_1815\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/20\/01k397azsqtg7gd6ea2n.jpg\" alt=\"Houston Rockets v Los Angeles Lakers\" width=\"3227\" height=\"1815\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 ml-1 pb-2 mt-4 md:m-3 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 ml-1 pb-2 mt-4 md:m-3 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption><em>Houston Rockets v Los Angeles Lakers | Katelyn Mulcahy\/GettyImages<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"flex flex-wrap justify-center lg:justify-normal\">\n<div class=\"flex lg:mr-4 lg:w-[calc(70%-3em)] max-w-full\"><main class=\"min-w-0 flex-1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"viewablity-block\">\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">One look at Austin Reaves and the idea of an elite perimeter defender is certainly not one that people would be quick to arrive at.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Granted, that assessment about the Los Angeles Lakers guard would be correct.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">The issue is with the scales being tipped too far in the other direction.<\/p>\n<p>Questions about Reaves&#8217; fit next to\u00a0Luka Doncic have circulated abundantly due to his defensive shortcomings.<\/p>\n<p>While it is true Reaves is not a shutdown defender by any stretch of the imagination, the issues on that end have more to do with roster construction and team management than the Lakers guard as an individual.<\/p>\n<p>Jovan Buha discussed just how much that conversation has shifted in the wrong direction for Reaves on a\u00a0recent episode of his podcast. Reaves is not what he has been made out to be.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;&gt;iframe]:max-w-full flex justify-center relative aspect-video overflow-hidden max-w-full bg-black [&amp;&gt;iframe]:absolute [&amp;&gt;iframe]:top-0 [&amp;&gt;iframe]:left-0 [&amp;&gt;iframe]:w-full [&amp;&gt;iframe]:h-full [&amp;&gt;iframe]:border-0 my-f-1\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Gs6oqoM0fsc?feature=oembed\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n<p id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\"><em>&#8220;The discourse about the defense has gone overblown,&#8221; Buha stated. &#8220;Charges, his rotations, his ability to chase guys, screen navigation is all good. Even his isolation defense statistically has been pretty good. &#8230; The Lakers have to be more strategic with their switching.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Lakers&#8217; next decision with this roster is painfully obvious<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Buha highlighted the biggest issue was the Lakers allowing too many switches where Reaves ends up on a mismatch against some like Julius Randle or Aaron Gordon. The strengths of his defense come against defending guards and that is where the 27-year-old should be kept.<\/p>\n<p>The Lakers did not have that luxury for a large chunk of last season due to the gaping hole at center. JJ Redick was forced to adopt a defense that predicated on high energy, constant fluidity and movement.<\/p>\n<p>With\u00a0Deandre Ayton in the mix\u00a0now, that does not need to be the case to the same capacity.<\/p>\n<p>Reaves can be just fine as the number two backcourt defender. To properly push him into that role, the decision to\u00a0start Marcus Smart\u00a0over Rui Hachimura could be imperative.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">The former Defensive Player of the Year can be the man tasked with taking on the initial challenge of guarding the toughest defensive assignment from the opposing team.<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Meanwhile, Reaves would be allowed to settle into a comfort zone..<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Guards like Jalen Brunson and Kyrie Irving have\u00a0proven the mold\u00a0in which Reaves is built offensively can work with Doncic quite well, after some fine-tuning to\u00a0his catch-and-shoot game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">The defensive conversation is much more predicated on the surrounding talent than the pair themselves.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/main><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The defensive deficiencies of the Los Angeles Lakers guard have been overstated. Houston Rockets v Los Angeles Lakers | Katelyn Mulcahy\/GettyImages One look at Austin Reaves and&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":92669,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>REPORT!! 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