Team USA blew out Puerto Rico 117-74 in Monday's FIBA World Cup exhibition against Puerto Rico.
There were a number of impressive performances in that game, but perhaps the most surprising was Austin Reaves' impact coming off the bench in his Team USA debut.
The Lakers guard looked among the most comfortable players on the floor, chipping in nine points on 4-for-9 shooting to go along with four rebounds and four assists. He showed in that debut why he is such a perfect fit for this international format.
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Why Austin Reaves could be Team USA's X-factor in World Cup
With players like Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton and Brandon Ingram, Team USA has a ton of shot creation. What they need alongside those guys are players who can stretch the floor. Reaves checked in for his first stint and did immediately that, draining a corner 3 when Edwards drew two defenders on his drive.
Team USA also needs players who can shoot and drive off movement. Head coach Steve Kerr has instituted some of his Warriors offensive principles, including the use of relocations and pin-in screens to get shooters open in the corners. Reaves showed against Puerto Rico that he fits seamlessly into Kerr's movement schemes, getting open on a pin-in action and driving baseline for an easy layup.
Reaves' 3-point shooting is going to be vital for Team USA. They will face more zone to combat their athleticism. There is also no defensive three seconds in international play, which makes zones more commonplace.
Reaves is coming off a year in which he hit 39.8 percent for the Lakers from deep during the regular season and an even better 44.3 percent in the playoffs. He's one of the best shooters on the team on paper, and he will have to punish those zones by shooting over the top of them.
Reaves excelled in a similar role for the Lakers. His usage percentage — an estimate of the amount of possessions he uses while on the court — has never cracked league average of 20 percent. Despite not having the ball very often when playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, he is deadly when he does get it.
Reaves was the Lakers' third-leading scorer at 16.9 points per game during their Western Conference Finals run last postseason. The pressure doesn't seem to phase him, and he has shown that he can still provide big moments without needing to dominate the ball.
Austin Reaves earns praise from LeBron James in Team USA debut
LeBron was a fan of Reaves' play, tweeting "A-R you so COLD man!!! #TeamUSA" at halftime, where he led Team USA with nine points in only eight minutes of action.
Reaves gave his two cents on LeBron's tweet during the broadcast's postgame interview.
"That's my guy. I've learned a lot from him over the past two years. It feels good when he validates that you can actually play."
Reaves now has a chance to show on a global stage why he has gotten so much praise from his Laker teammates and fans. He's a legitimately great player who can fit into multiple situations and find ways to make an impact in a supporting role. He's a better defender than he's given credit for, he's a great foul-drawer and he has a knack for finding shots within the flow of an offense.
In short, Reaves has the ability to swing momentum off the bench, making him the perfect X-factor for this team. He's primed for a big year, both for the Lakers and Team USA.
