Reaves’ Buzzer-Beater Lifts Short-Handed Lakers Over Timberwolves in Thriller

Austin Reaves swished a 12-foot jumper in the lane just before the buzzer, capping off a 28-point night and lifting the Los Angeles Lakers to a dramatic 116–115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.

Reaves matched his career high with 16 assists, while Jake LaRavia added 27 points on an impressive 10-for-11 shooting. DeAndre Ayton contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Lakers built a 20-point lead late in the third quarter and still led 112–101 after Reaves buried a 3-pointer with 4:01 left.

But the Timberwolves roared back with a 14–2 run, capped by Julius Randle’s go-ahead finger roll with 10.2 seconds remaining. Randle led Minnesota with 33 points, and Jaden McDaniels chipped in 30 points and seven rebounds.

Despite the absence of several stars — Luka Doncic and LeBron James for the Lakers, and Anthony Edwards for the Wolves — the game didn’t lack drama. Reaves, coming off a 51-point explosion against Sacramento and a 41-point effort in a loss to Portland, continued his hot streak, proving he can carry the load.

Edwards, sidelined but animated on the bench, exchanged playful trash talk with LaRavia after a pair of corner threes.

The Lakers, down four of their five primary ballhandlers — Doncic, James, Marcus Smart, and Gabe Vincent — relied heavily on Reaves’ playmaking. He ran the pick-and-roll to perfection with Ayton and found open teammates like LaRavia and Dalton Knecht, who added 15 points.

Up Next:

• Lakers: at Memphis on Friday
• Timberwolves: at Charlotte on Saturday