The Lakers called a time out with 9:35 remaining in the fourth quarter Sunday in an attempt to slow down a Miami Heat team that had sliced a once 18-point Lakers lead to three points. Out of the time out, the ball wound up in the hands of, not Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, but Jake LaRavia.
It was up to LaRavia to deliver in a pretty big moment, and he did so emphatically with a left-handed dunk over Heat 7-0 center Kel’el Ware.
The Lakers’ lead never dipped below four points the rest of the way.
“I have no idea,” LaRavia said when asked how he pulled off the dunk over a taller defender. “This was the first time I dunked, I think, in a long time with my left hand and I just saw an open lane. I was aggressively attacking it and he kind of jumped a little bit late. So, I went up to go dunk the ball for the first time because I was just trying to lay it up.”
It was yet another night in which LaRavia, who had 25 points, eight rebounds and four steals, was aggressive for the Lakers, playing a prominent role in the Lakers’ 130-120 win over the Heat on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena.
In his last three games, LaRavia has been on a tear.
He had 13 points on five-for-eight shooting and five rebounds at Memphis last Friday night and he had 27 points on 10-for-11 shooting, including going five-for-six from three-point range last Wednesday night at Minnesota.
“Yeah, I just happened to be scoring a lot of points recently,” LaRavia said. “I’m making a lot of shots, like, at the end of the day. The game against Minnesota I missed one shot. This game I missed three shots so obviously when I’m playing, shooting the ball 80% or higher, I’m going to score a lot. But again, I preach this every time I talk to the media, it’s very easy to play with Luka and AR. A lot of my buckets are running past the defense in transition, just running harder than the other team and getting those dunks or those layups, and then just shooting the catch-and-shoot threes when I get them.”
Even if fans don’t know his name, they are starting to recognize LaRavia for his scoring exploits.
During the game at Minnesota, fans yelled, “Who is No. 12?”
That is LaRavia’s number.
“I kind of put my hands up like this and I kind of agreed with them, ‘Who is No. 12?’ I kind of played into it a little bit,” LaRavia said. “I find that kind of stuff funny, cause I am not well known at this moment so I’m just head down, working hard. That’s all I do.”
Well, during Sunday night’s game, Lakers fans joked, “Who is No. 12?”
“I heard it about three times,” he said. “I think it’s good. Shout-out (Minnesota’s) Anthony Edwards for allowing that clip to go viral. Yeah, I think it’s good. I think it’s funny.”
Jaxson Hayes stars in his role
Jaxson Hayes and Jake LaRavia share a moment during the second half Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Jaxson Hayes came to the post-game podium wearing a Dodgers jersey, one he had received with his name and the No. 11 on the back from throwing out the first-pitch at a game.
Hayes talked about how “hyped” he was to see the Dodgers win the World Series over the Toronto Blue Jays Saturday night.
“I used to be a Reds fan, but then they canceled on me throwing out the first pitch a few times, so now I’m a Dodgers fan,” Hayes said. “And then, yeah, I was hyped. That game was crazy. I didn’t really get into baseball until I moved out here and now I watch a lot of the Dodgers games. It was wild.”
Hayes started at center for the Lakers against the Heat because Deandre Ayton was sidelined with back spasms.
Hayes was on his game, catching lob passes for dunks, being active running the floor in scoring 15 points and grabbing five rebounds. He made all seven of his shots.
“My guards give me good looks,” Hayes said. “I just do the same thing every night. It just depends on how the defense is. Sometimes it might just be them hitting me in the pocket, me hitting a corner. Other nights, it might be me getting dunks. Other nights, it’s the guard coming off for layups. So, I mean, it’s just really the guards get me going.”
Hayes even drilled a three-pointer, his first of the season.
Bronny James plays important minutes
Bronny James dunks during the first half against Miami on Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Bronny James played almost seven minutes in the fourth quarter, a sign of the faith Lakers coach JJ Redick has in his second-year guard.
James played a little over 11 minutes overall, scoring just two points, but notching three steals.
“I thought he was really good on the ball,” Redick said. “He got a steal off the ball, but I thought he was really good on the ball.”
James’ basket came off a lob pass from Reaves on the fast break, a dunk that had the crowd on its feet and his teammates leaping off the bench, including his dad, LeBron James, who is still out with sciatica.
This story originally appeared on LA Times
