LaRavia shares what has led to his breakout performances in back-to-back wins over his former team.
The Los Angeles Lakers were not expected to get such a huge lift from Jake LaRavia this season, but with Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura sidelined due to calf injuries, the fourth-year forward has stepped up in a major way and delivered when his team needed him most.
Los Angeles picked up their second straight win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night with a 120-114 victory at Crypto.com Arena, and LaRavia was once again a key reason for the win.
The 24-year-old finished with 26 points, five rebounds, and four assists while shooting 9-of-16 from the field and 4-of-10 from three-point range.
This came just two days after he dropped 21 points and nine rebounds in Friday's 128-121 victory over Memphis, making for a huge two-game stretch against his former squad.
LaRavia Reveals Key To Recent Success
After the game, LaRavia was asked about how his confidence has grown since stepping into the starting lineup, and his answer was simple.
"I think I'm just trusting the work that I've been putting in, recently," LaRavia said. "Obviously, the shot was struggling early on, and the coaches telling me, players telling me, 'Just keep shooting the ball.' They trust me. I trust myself. So it's really just about going into the game and then doing it."
The former Wake Forest standout has now started the last three games while Hachimura recovers from his injury, and he has made the most of his opportunity with double-digit scoring in five of his last seven games.
Over his last two outings against Memphis, LaRavia is averaging 23.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 60.7 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from beyond the arc, which is a big jump from his season averages of 9.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Should LaRavia Remain In The Starting Lineup?
Head coach JJ Redick was quick to praise LaRavia's play following Sunday's win, noting the areas where the young forward has improved.
"I told him in front of the group after the game, particularly in that first half, his aggressiveness and confidence was really good for us," Redick said. "The thing that we've tried to really instill and coach him on all season is point-five decision making, being catch-and-shoot ready. If you are attacking a closeout and you have an advantage, maintain the advantage and both of those things require confidence and requires aggressiveness. Just a fantastic game from him."
Lakers Continue Climbing In Western Conference
With the consecutive victories, the Lakers improved to 22-11 on the season and remain in fifth place in the Western Conference, while the Grizzlies dropped to 15-20 and have now lost four straight games.
LeBron James added 26 points and 10 assists, while Luka Dončić led all scorers with 36 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists to help fuel the comeback win.
The question now becomes what happens when Reaves and Hachimura return to the lineup.
LaRavia has clearly earned a larger role with his recent play, and his ability to cut, space the floor, and defend multiple positions makes him a valuable piece for what Redick is trying to build.
Whether he remains a starter or slides back to the bench, LaRavia has proven he can be counted on when his number is called, and his teammates have taken notice.
"We need his ability to score in bunches at times, obviously, with AR and Rui, Gabe out, that's a lot of points," James said. "To have that step up from Jake, we've needed it. He's just playing with a lot of confidence and we need him to continue that."