The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t just beat the Minnesota Timberwolves—they stole two games right out from under them, with Austin Reaves delivering the kind of heroics that turn regular-season matchups into legend. On October 29, 2025Crypto.com Arena, Reaves sank a buzzer-beating jumper to seal a 116-115 win. The next night? He did it again. Same score. Same drama. Same silence in the visiting locker room. And this time, he dropped 28 points with a career-high-tying 16 assists. No one in Lakers history had done that to start a season since Kobe Bryant in 2005. Not even LeBron James. Not even Magic Johnson. Not even Jerry West—until now.
Reaves’ Breakout: A Quiet Star Ignites
Here’s the thing: Austin Reaves wasn’t supposed to be the face of this Lakers resurgence. He was the guy who came off the bench in 2023, the underrated guard with a smooth stroke and a knack for finding seams. But through five games in 2025-26, he’s averaging 34.2 points per game. That’s not a typo. He’s scoring more than Luka Dončić, more than Jayson Tatum, more than anyone in the league right now. And he’s doing it with precision, not volume. Against the Timberwolves on October 30, he shot 10-of-21 from the field, 4-of-8 from deep, and made every single free throw. His 16 assists? That’s not just playmaking—that’s control. He orchestrated the offense like a maestro, especially after Minnesota erased a 20-point deficit to take a 115-114 lead with 8.2 seconds left. No timeout. No hesitation. Reaves caught the inbounds pass, drove left, pulled up from the free-throw line, and let it fly. Swish. Game over.He’s now joined Jerry West as the only Lakers ever to open a season with five straight games of 25+ points and 5+ assists. And he’s one of just five players in franchise history with multiple games of 25+ points and 15+ assists—alongside Magic, West, LeBron, and Nick Van Exel. The numbers are staggering. The timing? Perfect.
Timberwolves Fight Back—But Can’t Close
Don’t sleep on the Minnesota Timberwolves. They’re not just losing—they’re losing in heartbreak. Julius Randle, acquired in the offseason, was a force in both games: 33 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists on October 30, shooting 4-of-7 from deep. Jaden McDaniels added 30 points and 7 rebounds, showing why he’s becoming one of the league’s most dangerous two-way wings. Anthony Edwards, still just 23, dropped 31 in the October 25 game. They out-rebounded the Lakers in two of the three matchups. They outscored them in the first quarter twice. They led by 11 with under five minutes left on October 30.But they couldn’t close. And that’s the difference. The Lakers’ defense tightened. Reaves found open shooters. Jake LaRavia, the 23-year-old forward, went 5-of-6 from three-point range in the October 30 game, finishing with 27 points. Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton combined for 34 points and 17 rebounds. The Timberwolves have talent. But they’re still chasing consistency. And when the game’s on the line, they’re not yet the team that can make the big play.
The Luka Dončić Confusion: A Case of Mistaken Identity
Here’s where things get weird. Multiple sources, including a report from ABS-CBN, mistakenly credited Luka Dončić with 49 points for the Lakers in the October 25 win. That’s impossible. Dončić plays for the Dallas Mavericks. He wasn’t even on the court that night. The real hero? It was Reaves—25 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists. The 49-point game? That was Anthony Edwards for the Timberwolves. The confusion likely stems from a botched data feed or a misattributed highlight clip. Either way, it’s a reminder: in the age of viral clips and AI-generated summaries, fact-checking isn’t optional—it’s essential.But even with that error, the underlying truth remains: the Lakers are playing with a rare blend of grit and grace. They’re not relying on LeBron James, who’s still in rehab after a calf strain, but they’re not missing him. Not yet.
The Bigger Picture: Lakers’ Rise and the Western Conference Race
After those three wins, the Lakers sit at 8-3, good for first in the Pacific Division and fourth in the Western Conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder lead at 10-1. The Denver Nuggets are right behind at 7-2. The Timberwolves? They’re 7-4, still third in the Northwest, but now on a two-game skid after their losses to LA. The margin for error is razor-thin. One slip, and they’re out of the top four.The Lakers’ schedule doesn’t get easier. But they’ve shown they can win ugly, win close, win loud. Reaves is no longer a role player—he’s the engine. And if he keeps this up, the conversation about MVP will start creeping into his name.
What’s Next? The March 10 Rematch
The next time these teams meet? March 10, 2026Crypto.com Arena. That’s not just a game—it’s a statement. By then, LeBron may be back. Dončić will be playing elsewhere. But Reaves? He’ll be right where he is now: in the spotlight, the ball in his hands, the clock ticking down.The Lakers didn’t just beat the Timberwolves three times. They announced themselves as serious contenders. And Reaves? He didn’t just make shots. He made history.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Austin Reaves become the first Laker since Kobe Bryant to open a season with five straight 25-point games?
Reaves achieved this by scoring 28, 31, 26, 37, and 29 points in his first five games of the 2025-26 season. He’s the first Laker to do so since Kobe Bryant in 2005, and only the second in franchise history to combine five straight 25+ point and 5+ assist games, matching Jerry West’s 1970-71 feat. His efficiency—62% true shooting—has been key, especially with reduced minutes from LeBron James.
Why was Luka Dončić incorrectly reported as playing for the Lakers?
The error stemmed from a data aggregation glitch on sports reporting platforms, where Dončić’s 49-point game against the Timberwolves (which actually occurred in a Dallas-Minnesota matchup on October 20, 2025) was mistakenly merged with the Lakers’ October 25 win. The confusion was amplified by AI-generated summaries that failed to cross-reference player-team affiliations, leading to widespread misinformation before being corrected.
What impact does this have on the Lakers’ playoff chances?
With an 8-3 record, the Lakers are firmly in the top four of the Western Conference, which guarantees home-court advantage in the first round. Reaves’ emergence reduces reliance on LeBron James’ return, making them more balanced and dangerous. If they maintain this pace, they could challenge the Thunder or Nuggets for the top seed—something unthinkable just three weeks ago.
How do the Timberwolves compare to the Lakers in terms of team chemistry?
The Timberwolves have elite individual talent—Randle, McDaniels, Edwards—but their ball movement ranks 21st in the NBA. The Lakers, by contrast, rank 7th in assists per game and have shown remarkable cohesion despite injuries. Reaves’ playmaking and LaRavia’s spacing create a system that thrives under pressure, while Minnesota still relies too heavily on isolation plays in crunch time.
Is Austin Reaves now considered an All-Star candidate?
Absolutely. Through five games, Reaves leads the league in points per game (34.2), is top five in assists among guards, and has a 62% effective field goal percentage. He’s the only guard in the top 10 in scoring without being a primary ball-dominant star. All-Star voting begins in December, and if he maintains this level, he’ll be the first Laker not named LeBron or AD to make the team since 2019.
When will LeBron James return, and how will it affect Reaves’ role?
LeBron is expected back by mid-November, according to Lakers coach Darvin Ham. But Reaves’ role won’t shrink—he’ll likely shift to a sixth-man playmaker role, allowing LeBron to rest more and still maintain offensive flow. This could make the Lakers’ bench the most dangerous in the league, with Reaves, LaRavia, and Hachimura forming a lethal scoring trio off the bench.