The Los Angeles Lakers will be without starting guard Austin Reaves for at least a week due to a mild left calf strain.

Reaves is the NBA’s ninth-leading scorer this season with 27.8 points per game during a breakout season. The former undrafted free agent has played his way into genuine stardom during his five seasons with the Lakers, and he is earning All-Star buzz this year while forming a prolific backcourt with Luka Doncic, who is averaging a league-leading 35.0 points.

Reaves is also contributing career highs of 6.7 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game for the Lakers, who are off to a 17-7 start despite injury absences for all three of their best players.

LeBron James missed the first 14 games of his unprecedented 23rd NBA season due to sciatica. Doncic has missed six games with minor injury management and a quick trip to Europe for the birth of his second child, while Reaves missed three games earlier this season as well.

Marcus Jonesm, Jake LaRavia and Gabe Vincent are likely to see increased minutes with Reaves sidelined.

The Lakers’ next game is at Phoenix on Sunday, and they don’t play again until Thursday at Utah.

 

Austin Reaves has a mild left calf strain, per the Lakers. Will be reevaluated in approximately one week.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 12, 2025