While heading into Monday’s game on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center, the Los Angeles Lakers were incredibly shorthanded, as they were without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
Despite winning three straight games and looking much better than anticipated to start the 2025-26 NBA season, the consensus was that a good Blazers squad would likely wipe the floor with them like they did earlier on October 27. However, that didn’t happen, with Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura combining for 57 points to lead the Lakers to their fourth consecutive win.
Luka Dončić Cleared To Play vs. Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs
Even though the Lakers are one of the hottest teams in the league right now, regardless of who is on the floor sporting purple and gold, the team will face a tough challenge on Wednesday, with NBA MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama and the 5-1 San Antonio Spurs coming to town.
The Lakers will want to be as close to 100 percent as possible heading into the showdown with the Spurs in Los Angeles. Fortunately, the team will have superstar Dončić back on the floor after his one-game absence due to being load-managed, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Lakers injury report for the Spurs game: Luka Doncic will play. Austin Reaves remains questionable pic.twitter.com/SGLVLT415U
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 5, 2025
Although Dončić will be back on the floor to take on Wembanyama and company, Reaves’ status remains uncertain, as he is currently listed as questionable after missing the game against the Blazers due to right groin soreness. Reaves isn’t a player who likes to miss many games, as he suited up for all 82 during the 2023-24 campaign and then 73 regular-season games last season.
That said, the Lakers will likely have Dončić and Reaves active for Wednesday’s game, which will set up an epic matchup between two Western Conference teams that are already far exceeding expectations in the early going. Dončić, going head-to-head with Wembanyama, two superstars who are early candidates for NBA MVP, will be must-see TV for basketball fans.
Coming into this matchup between the Lakers and Spurs at Crypto.com Arena, Wembanyama is averaging 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and an insane league-leading 4.7 blocks per game.
As for Dončić, the Slovenian superstar is putting up 41.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 54.5 percent from the field.
If these two incredibly talented players continue to play at a high level like this moving forward, it could be a two-man race for MVP that comes down to the wire, with potentially the records for the Spurs and Lakers being what separates them in the end.