Lakers’ Austin Reaves has blunt 4-word response to turnover woes

SAN FRANCISCO — A lot went wrong for the Lakers to blow their 25-point lead to the Warriors on Friday night at Chase Center. 

Cold shooting from the Lakers. Steph Curry’s highlight-reel-worthy plays, including eight 3-pointers.

And turnovers. 

Lots of turnovers.

The Lakers committed a season-high 22 turnovers against the Warriors, sparking easier shots in transition against a defense that wasn’t set.

The biggest culprit of the Lakers’ lack of ball security was star guard Austin Reaves. He finished with eight turnovers against the Warriors, the same number of turnovers he had in Wednesday’s win over the Clippers.

Reaves didn’t hold back when it came to assessing his performance.

“I was terrible again,” he said postgame. “That’s it.”

Reaves entered Friday coming off his worst game of the season so far.

The sixth-year guard had 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting to go with eight turnovers in Wednesday’s road win over the Clippers.

Against the Warriors, he didn’t perform as poorly but came close.

Reaves had 21 points on 9-of-19 shooting to go with five assists and four rebounds, but he once again struggled with taking care of the ball.

Reaves struggled early with the Warriors’ defensive pressure and strategies, recording six of his turnovers in the first half. 

His three turnovers in the second quarter, which the Warriors won 38-15 to tie the game at 53 after the Lakers led 40-15, were especially costly. 

“Just bad — we were bad,” Reaves said. “That first group that started the second was bad. And like I said, it starts with me, so I’ll be better.”

For Reaves, getting better means handling the more defensive coverages with more poise.

And for the team, it looks like building chemistry over the regular season will help avoid situations they found themselves in that led to turnovers on Friday.

“I mean, it’s real, but it doesn’t give that second unit an excuse to be pretty terrible,” Reaves said. “And that starts with me. And I’ll watch the film, try to be better. You got to learn on the fly and pick up things quickly. But as I said, I have to be better to start that.”