Austin Reaves addressed the conversations about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s foul-baiting to get more free throws on Sunday ahead of the Lakers-Thunder conference semis clash. Gilgeous-Alexander has been a polarizing superstar due to his high free-throw rate in some games, with many believing he flops or sells calls to win the whistle.
Several players, coaches and rival fan bases have often pointed out issues with Gilgeous-Alexander’s play and the officiating inconsistencies. However, Reaves wasn’t critical of it. The Lakers star acknowledged that those talks are being blown out of proportion and suggested it isn’t uncommon in a competitive environment.
“I know that’s a tough topic to talk about because everybody blows it out of proportion, but at the end of the day, he wants to win and is gonna do whatever it takes to win,” Reaves said (via Lakers reporter Daniel Starkland). “If it’s shoot 20 free throws, so be it. If I shoot 20 free throws, I’d be happy. I don’t think there’s any bad intentions with trying to get to the line.”
Austin Reaves added that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will likely have more trips to the line than others due to his high usage rate and aggressive downhill play. In the 2026 playoffs, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging a league-high 12.3 free-throw attempts per game over four outings, accounting for 32.4% of his points per contest. He’s averaging 33.8 ppg.
Meanwhile, LeBron James is taking the most free-throw attempts on the Lakers, averaging 7.7.
Austin Reaves gets honest about Lakers being massive underdogs vs. Thunder
Austin Reaves and the Lakers are aware of their underdog status heading into Tuesday’s series opener against the Thunder. The Thunder are the top favorites to win the championship. While many expected Los Angeles to bounce out of the first round after Luka Doncic and Reaves went down with multi-week injuries on Apr. 2, coincidentally against OKC.
Reaves returned in Game 5 of the Rockets series, but Doncic remains out. The Lakers’ best shot to beat the Thunder will be if Doncic returns. Even then, they will remain the underdogs. Reaves wasn’t paying too much attention to the odds. He cited their win against the Rockets, in which they were underdogs, suggesting the Lakers will carry the same mindset into the conference semis.
“You could say nobody thought we were going to get past Houston but everybody in this building believed. It’s the same mindset going into this.”
The Lakers beat the Rockets on the back of their intensity and flawless coaching schemes in all four of their wins. That would be decisive against the Thunder, especially if the Lakers can execute without being overwhelmed by OKC’s defense.
