Austin Reaves has been one of the Lakers’ most consistent contributors this postseason, serving as LeBron James’s go-to backcourt partner and the offensive engine that keeps Los Angeles in games when things get rocky.
In Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, Reaves delivered again, dropping 31 points on 62.5% shooting with 6 assists. But despite his individual effort, the Lakers fell 125-107, putting them in a 0-2 hole to the top-seeded Thunder.
After the game, Reaves wasn’t talking about shot selection or defensive breakdowns. He was fired up about a referee.
Austin Reaves Calls Out Official After Game 2 Loss
Reaves said during the postgame that while jockeying for position during a tip ball situation, a referee turned and yelled directly in his face. He felt the official had little to say to the other team during the same sequence, and took it personally.
Austin Reaves on his interaction with the ref:
“I felt like I was respectful to all of them all night. A million times in the past, I’ve said way worse stuff. And when we were doing the whole tip ball and they were switching spots, I wanted to get on the other side because they… https://t.co/Sj5ADClj5Q pic.twitter.com/go8WZCkiHT
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) May 8, 2026
“I told him if I did that to him first, I would’ve gotten a tech,” Reaves said. “I feel like the only reason I didn’t get a tech was because he knew he was in the wrong.”
The Lakers are now facing a serious deficit in the Western Conference Semifinals, down 2-0 to an OKC team that has dominated paint points and turned Reaves’ turnovers into transition opportunities all series.
Reaves kept his cool on the court, and he made clear postgame he did the same with the official. But that restraint didn’t make him any less direct about how the moment made him feel.
Los Angeles will look to respond when the series shifts home. Lakers vs. Thunder Game 3 tips off Sunday, May 10 at Crypto.com Arena.
