Jake LaRavia didnt just survive the chaos of the Los Angeles Lakers injury-riddled season, he thrived in it.While head coach JJ Redick was forced to constantly reshuffle lineups throughout the 202526 campaign, LaRavia remained the one steady presence.The defensive wing suited up for all 82 games, becoming just the 45th player in franchise history to achieve the feat, and the first since Austin Reaves in the 202324 season.For LaRavia, it wasnt accidental. It was the goal from day one.Extremely. It was probably my biggest goal at the beginning of the season, LaRavia said after the Lakers win over the Utah Jazz. Just kind of how the first three seasons went, I just wanted to have a healthy, consistent, reliable year and I was able to make that happen. So, Im very excited about that.The accomplishment carries extra weight considering his early career struggles. LaRavia played just 35 games in each of his first two NBA seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and followed that with 66 appearances split between Memphis and the Sacramento Kings last year. This time around, he didnt miss once.LaRavia credited both discipline and fortune for the milestone.Yeah, its a mindset, I would say, LaRavia added. Its a bit of a mindset and its a bit of lucky, obviously. Uncontrollable injuries happen. But there are some little knick-knack injuries that you have to play through to be able to get through that. So its part mindset, part luck, and I was just able to make it through and get all 82.Now, with the Lakers locking up the fourth seed and preparing to host the Houston Rockets in the first round, LaRavias durability could prove even more valuable. In a season defined by instability, hes become one of the teams most dependable pieces, and heading into the playoffs, that reliability might be exactly what Los Angeles needs.Related Article: Cooper Flagg Breakout Rookie Campaign Ends in InjuryREAD MORE: Charles Barkley Has a Simple Fix for the NBAs Tanking Problem
