DALLAS — Already contending with the fallout from Luka Doncic’s left hamstring strain diagnosis, which will render him unavailable indefinitely, the Los Angeles Lakers disclosed on Saturday that Austin Reaves has sustained a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury, removing him from play for the rest of the regular season.
Although the squad did not specify a recovery period for his return, informants conveyed to ESPN’s Shams Charania that Reaves is projected to be sidelined for four to six weeks due to the ailment.
Reaves had an MRI scan performed on his side and lower chest region Saturday. He was initially deemed uncertain for the game versus the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Even though the team is short-handed – guard Marcus Smart is also currently questionable after sitting out the last six games with a groin issue and ankle problems – coach JJ Redick declared earlier Saturday that the Lakers possess robust determination.
“Our objective remains constant,” Redick stated. “The remaining players and my staff are pursuing the third seed and will endeavor to secure a playoff series victory. The outcome regarding Luka will become apparent.”
L.A. (50-27) maintains a one-game advantage over the No. 4 Denver Nuggets, a two-game advantage over the No. 5 Houston Rockets, and a three-game advantage over the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves, as five contests are left. The Lakers also possess the tie-breaking advantage over all three of those teams, having already clinched the season matchups versus each of their rivals.
The team revealed on Friday that Doncic has a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, an ailment that usually requires a recovery period of approximately one month. The Lakers have not offered an estimated return date for Doncic, other than confirming his absence for the remainder of the regular season. The initial phase of the NBA playoffs is slated to commence in two weeks.
Reaves strained his left flank during the first half of the Lakers’ 139-96 defeat by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. He retreated to the changing room for assessment, but subsequently rejoined the match and concluded with a squad-best 15 points across 27 minutes.
“I moved to secure a rebound, stretched somewhat excessively, and sensed discomfort,” Reaves explained after the game. “But I feel reasonably well at present, therefore, we await further developments.”
Reaves needed a pair of MRI scans for the injury, as the initial one imaged an incorrect region of his physique.
“I am uncertain where the authority structure resides within Dallas imaging, but they imaged the incorrect spot,” Redick stated. “No fault of ours.”
Both Reaves and Smart did not fully partake in the squad’s training session on SMU’s campus Saturday.
With Doncic sidelined and Reaves’ condition uncertain, Redick indicated L.A. would distribute the offensive responsibilities among several athletes, listing individuals such as LeBron James, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura, and Deandre Ayton.
“I mean, this presents a difficulty for us,” James stated after the training session. “There must always be a ready-replacement attitude. However, it’s impossible to substitute that level of influence. Consequently, it will be a united contingent effort. We all must devise methods to contribute slightly more. … But now we must be even more precise in our execution. When you forfeit such an exceptional athlete, you cannot afford numerous errors. So, we must resolve this issue.”
James had transitioned to being the Lakers’ third primary choice during their current winning run, with Doncic and Reaves undertaking the primary playmaking responsibilities. In his last seven games, James posted averages of 15.6 points with 46.3% shooting (25.0% from beyond the arc), alongside 7.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists. He registered merely 11.7 shot attempts during that period, significantly lower than his career average of 18.6 per game.
“One must adjust one’s perspective somewhat when their role changes, regardless of the circumstances, or the requirements for the squad,” James articulated when queried about how he would psychologically ready himself for the upcoming hurdle. “Consequently, the perspective definitely shifts somewhat.”
Redick stated he intended to broaden the player rotation temporarily, increasing from nine athletes to potentially eleven, and mentioned that Kobe Bufkin, Nick Smith Jr., and Dalton Knecht were all set to link up with the squad in Dallas, having just competed for the South Bay Lakers in the G League postseason.
“Full participation is required,” Redick added.
Subsequent to their Sunday match against the Mavs, the Lakers face a trio of consecutive contests versus opponents poised to influence the Western Conference playoff landscape – Oklahoma City on Tuesday, the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, the Phoenix Suns on Friday – prior to the final game of the season next Sunday, hosted against the Utah Jazz.
“This team demonstrates exceptional intensity … ,” James commented regarding Dallas. “They just endured a fierce battle against Orlando. We are aware of our upcoming game with OKC. We have Golden State, who is continuing to contend. We have Phoenix, who is also continuing to contend. Consequently, it will still be somewhat challenging for us. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves accordingly.”