Austin Reaves injury update is devastating news for Lakers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Friday couldn’t have gone any worse for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Advertisement
The 17-time NBA champions discovered that Luka Doncic, who exited the franchise’s Thursday night contest prematurely with a lower setback, is out indefinitely with a left hamstring injury.
With the postseason right around the corner, Doncic’s injury certainly complicates the Lakers’ title chances this season. To make matters even worse, Los Angeles’ No. 2 scoring option, Austin Reaves, will also be sidelined for several games with an injury.
“Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and is out for the remainder of the regular season,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on X/Twitter Saturday.
“Lakers’ Austin Reaves is expected to miss four to six weeks with the Grade 2 oblique injury, sources tell ESPN. Devastating run of injuries to L.A.’s two leading scorers. Reaves and Luka Doncic are expected to be sidelined to begin the NBA playoffs.”
Advertisement
While Charania didn’t state that Doncic and Reaves are out for the rest of the season, there’s a good chance the franchise will have to begin the postseason without their dynamic backcourt duo.
Of course, matchups are everything when it comes to playoff basketball, but it’s difficult to envision the Lakers making a deep run with Doncic and Reaves in the fold. Needless to say, the Lakers are in a rough spot to start the new month.
More NBA: Celtics sign son of ex-Lakers guard, five-time NBA champion to assist Jaylen Brown