The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to keep their playoff hopes alive.
With a current record of 36-37, the Lakers are tied for ninth in the Western Conference.
Even without LeBron James, the Lakers are finding ways to win.
One of the reasons for their success has been their role players have stepped up.
No one has been more impactful over the past week than guard Austin Reaves.
He came out of nowhere as an undrafted free agent last year and has now carved out a meaningful role on the Lakers.
In a massive game on Wednesday night, Reaves scored 25 points and recorded 11 assists.
Reaves has scored 24+ points in three of the last four games.
You could even argue he has been their team MVP over the past week.
Skip Bayless even made the argument that Reaves “is the best player on the floor.”
"Austin Reaves is the best player on the floor."@RealSkipBayless gives Reaves and the Lakers a '9' on the impressive scale for 122-111 win over the Suns: pic.twitter.com/foEmtTEuGb
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 23, 2023
While he has been the Lakers’ best player over the past few games, he is still not a superstar.
The Lakers are paying Anthony Davis to be their best player in the absence of LeBron and he has played well.
The hype for Reaves is at an all-time high, and he will never have more value than he has this past week.
His recent play appears to be setting him up for a massive payday this offseason.
LA still has a few more weeks until James is expected to return.
They might as well ride the hot hand and continue feeding Reaves until then.
NEXT: NBA Insider Reveals Potential LeBron James Return Timeline
