04/04/26 04:55:00
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04/04 16:53 CDT Austin Reaves is out for the rest of the Lakers' regular season
with oblique muscle injury
Austin Reaves is out for the rest of the Lakers' regular season with oblique
muscle injury
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- Austin Reaves has a Grade 2 oblique muscle injury that
will force him to miss the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers' regular season along
with Luka Doncic, the team announced Saturday.
Reaves and Doncic both incurred potentially significant injuries on Thursday in
Oklahoma City, throwing a major complication into the postseason hopes of the
Lakers (50-27). Doncic is out for at least the next two weeks after straining
his left hamstring in the Lakers' blowout loss to the Thunder.
Reaves and Doncic both got injured in the first half Thursday, but both
returned to the game. Doncic was diagnosed with his second significant
hamstring injury on Friday, while Reaves had an MRI on Saturday and was
subsequently ruled out by the Lakers, who play at Dallas on Sunday.
Both Doncic and Reaves have been diagnosed with injuries that often take a
month or more to heal properly, but the Lakers haven't speculated on their
availability beyond the next five games.
Reaves has blossomed into an elite NBA scorer and remained a vital offensive
option alongside Doncic and LeBron James this season during the Lakers' run to
the Pacific Division title. The former undrafted free agent is averaging 23.3
points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds while playing in 51 games this season, his
fifth with the Lakers.
Reaves missed 19 games after straining his left calf on Christmas. He would be
the NBA's 11th-leading scorer if he had played enough games to qualify.
The Lakers have won 16 of their last 19 games to surge into the third seed in
the Western Conference. The playoffs begin in two weeks.
Before the severity of Reaves' injury was announced, Lakers coach JJ Redick
told reporters in Dallas on Saturday that the team can't stop moving in
Doncic's absence.
"Our mission, it hasn't changed," Redick said. "The rest of these guys and my
staff, we're going after the 3-seed, and we're going to try to win a playoff
series."
After his breakout offensive play in his first full season alongside Doncic,
Reaves will be eligible for a significant contract extension this summer if he
declines his player option for the 2026-27 season as expected. Reaves and the
Lakers both expect him to stay with the club.
The Lakers' regular-season finale is April 12 at home against Utah.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
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