Austin Reaves Opens Up After Lakers’ Blowout Loss to Thunder: “They Did Whatever They Wanted”

The Los Angeles Lakers were completely overwhelmed on Wednesday night, falling 121–92 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game where the scoreboard didn’t even capture the full extent of the mismatch. From the opening tip to the final buzzer, OKC controlled every possession, handing LA one of its most humbling losses of the season.

Austin Reaves: Brutally Honest After the Loss

Despite the magnitude of the defeat, players are still required to face the media — and Austin Reaves didn’t hide behind clichés. Speaking to Spectrum SportsNet, he delivered one of the most forthright postgame evaluations of his career:

“They did whatever they wanted. To be honest, they just kicked our ass tonight.”

Reaves struggled just like the rest of the roster, finishing with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists — his toughest outing of the season so far. Even Luka Dončić, usually automatic, managed only 19 points, leading the team in scoring on an inefficient night where nothing seemed to click.

JJ Redick Shares the Blame: “This Is Who We Are Right Now”

Head coach JJ Redick didn’t sugarcoat the situation either. Drawing a connection to LA’s embarrassing defeat against the Atlanta Hawks earlier in the week, he emphasized that this version of the Lakers is still far from where they need to be:

“The game against Atlanta and tonight’s game don’t represent who this group will be, but it clearly reflects who we are right now.”

His message was clear: the team has the talent to improve — but improvement hasn’t shown up on the court yet.

Marcus Smart: No Lessons Learned

Veteran leader Marcus Smart echoed the sentiment that there was little to extract from a loss this lopsided:

“There’s nothing to take from this. Other than we got our ass kicked and we need to bounce back.”

Smart, typically a defensive anchor, couldn’t do much against the Thunder’s relentless offense and suffocating pressure.

What’s Next for the Lakers?

The Lakers must regroup quickly as they prepare to face the New Orleans Pelicans — currently the worst team in the Western Conference — on Friday, November 14. It’s a crucial opportunity for LA to steady the ship, reset mentally, and avoid spiraling after consecutive deflating performances.