The Los Angeles Lakers have played better than expected to start the 2025-26 NBA season, with the team sporting a record of 6-2 heading into Monday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers.
However, injuries have been a persistent issue throughout the first two weeks of the season, with LeBron James still recovering from sciatica and other notable players, such as Gabe Vincent and rookie Adou Thiero, on the shelf. Along with these injuries, Luka Doncic missed two games due to a finger sprain and a lower leg contusion.
Lakers Without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves vs. Blazers
With the Lakers riding a three-game winning streak, the team will not have Doncic or Austin Reaves on the floor for Monday’s game on the road against the Trail Blazers, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are both being held out of the lineup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers announced, one day after the pair played nearly 40 minutes apiece in a 130-120 win over the Miami Heat.
Perhaps the biggest concern here is Reaves popping up on the injury report with right groin soreness. Reaves is having another career year, as he has been able to shoulder the load for the Lakers with James and Doncic missing games to start the season. His presence on the floor has been crucial to the team’s success thus far.
The last thing the team needs moving forward is for Reaves to be dealing with a groin issue that threatens to keep him sidelined. The 27-year-old guard has been the heart and soul of the team during the first seven games, as he has cemented his role as one of the team’s leaders on the basketball floor.
As for Doncic, the team is being load-managed, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
The Lakers are managing Luka Doncic on the second night of a back-to-back tonight after 77 total minutes played in wins over Memphis and Miami on Friday and Sunday following an early return from finger and leg ailments. https://t.co/XtId9j4XIT
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Even though Reaves and Doncic won’t play Monday, along with Vincent and Thiero, there’s a chance Maxi Kleber makes his season debut, as he is listed as questionable. Deandre Ayton is also considered questionable due to back spasms, which cut his night short against the Miami Heat on Sunday.
Despite the unexpected absence of Doncic and Reaves, the team potentially getting Kleber is a step in the right direction, as it will help with the depth in the frontcourt. Ayton’s back issue is a concern, but if it were a significant problem, he’d be ruled out much earlier in the day.
It’ll be interesting to see how this shorthanded squad does on the road in Portland, with the Trail Blazers being one of only two teams that have been able to get the best of the Lakers this season. The Golden State Warriors handed the Lakers their other loss, coming out on top against Los Angeles in the team’s season opener on Oct. 21.