The Los Angeles Lakers have spent the past week navigating a stretch of significant injuries to key players. Los Angeles entered Tuesday’s game against the Phoenix Suns without Luka Doncic, who was ruled out with a left leg contusion sustained in Saturday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, compounding the Lakers’ depth issues.
Several rotation players, including Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent, also missed recent games, forcing the coaching staff to adjust lineups and rotations continually as the injury bug bit a team already dealing with absences earlier in the season.
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Among the most impactful losses has been Austin Reaves, who has missed the past three games with a left calf strain.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15)© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The 27-year-old guard, who was diagnosed with a mild strain and re-evaluated after approximately one week, has not played since the Lakers’ NBA Cup loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Reaves’ absence forced other Lakers to absorb playmaking and scoring duties, a challenge alongside managing Doncic’s ongoing injury status.
On Tuesday, the Lakers released an updated status, announcing that Austin Reaves has been upgraded to available to face the Suns after missing three games due to the calf issue.
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His return is a significant boost for Los Angeles, particularly with Doncic out for the game against Phoenix, ensuring the Lakers can lean on Reaves alongside LeBron James.
This season has been the best of Reaves’ NBA career. Through 21 games prior to the injury, he was averaging career highs of 27.8 points, 6.7 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game across 36.9 minutes, emerging as one of the league’s most dynamic two-way guards and earning serious All-Star consideration. His increased scoring and playmaking have helped elevate Los Angeles’ offensive versatility and provided a secondary star option alongside the big names in the rotation.
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Reaves’ availability restores a critical piece of the Lakers’ offensive engine and gives head coach JJ Redick additional flexibility as Los Angeles continues to manage injuries across the roster.
Related: Lakers Make Bronny James Decision After Luka Doncic Injury
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.