Austin Reaves made a confident prediction ahead of the highly-anticipated playoff rematch between the Los Angeles Lakers and the reigning champion Denver Nuggets in the upcoming opening round, starting on Saturday, April 20.
Reaves told Heavy Sports in an exclusive interview to promote his “Perfect 10” episode with Hotels.com that the Lakers will win, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a winning mindset.
The Lakers are considered heavy underdogs for the opening-round series, having been swept by the Nuggets in last year’s Western Conference Finals and losing all four meetings this season.
Reaves is disregarding their 0-8 record against the Nuggets.
Expressing a strong desire to win, Reaves acknowledged that the Nuggets had consistently outperformed the Lakers.
For Reaves, the key to victory will lie in execution, an area where the Nuggets have excelled since the previous playoffs.
Reaves highlighted the importance of being a strong fourth-quarter team due to the Nuggets' proficiency in executing during that time and their ability to capitalize on opponents' mistakes.
The Lakers' last eight encounters with the Nuggets were closely contested, with the Nuggets displaying composure in crucial moments while the Lakers struggled.
Lakers Overcame Injury-Plagued Season to Advance
Reaves draws confidence from the Lakers' ability to overcome adversities throughout the season.
He mentioned that dealing with injuries and overcoming various challenges has prepared them to win in different ways, rather than solely relying on one approach.
The Lakers are currently without their versatile defender Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) and backup big man Christian Wood (knee), as well as dealing with injuries to stars Anthony Davis (back) and LeBron James (ankle) entering the playoffs.
Reaves believes that overcoming such challenges ultimately strengthens the team, making them capable of winning through various means, even in tough, hard-fought games.
Austin Reaves Stars in Hotels.com’s ‘Perfect 10’
Reaves takes viewers behind the scenes of his journey from a small-town boy to a rising basketball star in the new season of “Perfect 10” from Hotels.com, presented by the official travel partner of the NBA.
The episode featuring the Lakers’ up-and-coming star was released on April 15, showcasing Reaves’ favorite hotels, dream hotel vacation, hotel tips and hacks, as well as amusing hotel stories.
Reaves participated in the fourth season of the digital series, which features personalities from sports, TV, film, music, food, and fashion, joining the likes of Nikola Jokic, Miami Heat‘s Jimmy Butler and Emmy-nominated ESPN host Malika Andrews to answer 10 rapid-fire questions that reveal personal stories in three-minute episodes.
For personal recommendations from Reaves and other “Perfect 10” experts, download the Hotels.com The show has already gained more than 88 million views so far, and a fifth season is currently being made.
