Since he has not missed any recent time away from the Los Angeles Lakers, some fans may be unaware that NBA star Austin Reaves is dealing with an injury and could be sidelined.
While the majority of attention has been given to LeBron James and Luka Dončić, it is Reaves who has been sharing the backcourt with Dončić and consistently establishing himself as the third-best player on the Lakers. In fact, an argument could be made that he is currently the second-best player in terms of pure scoring.
Therefore, having a compromised version of Reaves on the court could significantly harm the Lakers. That said, let us take a closer look at the situation and find out more about his injury update.
Austin Reaves Sustained a Calf Strain Before the Lakers vs. Spurs Matchup
Although Reaves has remained relatively healthy throughout his career and cannot really be viewed as an injury-prone player, the fact that he strained his calf recently is a cause for concern.
Reaves did suit up for the Lakers’ recent game against the San Antonio Spurs. However, he did not play particularly well. The Lakers star recorded just 15 points while making only six of 16 shot attempts.
Recording more shot attempts than points scored is a relatively rare position to be in for a player with Reaves’ abilities and skill set. It was later revealed that Reaves sustained a calf injury that likely occurred before his game against the Spurs. The report also indicated that the injury is not very severe, meaning that Reaves may miss only about a week of action.
It mentioned, “The Austin Reaves calf strain is minor, and Redick says he expects him to be out a week. Injury happened before SA game at some point.”
Although the Lakers started the season strong and held the second-best record in the West until this point, their recent loss to the Spurs has dropped them to the fifth position.
If Reaves does not play in their upcoming games against the Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, and Los Angeles Clippers, it will fall upon the James and Dončić, as well as the other players on the Lakers’ roster, to step up to the occasion.
As things stand, the Lakers need to ensure that their core remains injury-free, especially towards the end of the season. They are unlikely to rush Reaves’ return to action as the squad has more than enough capable stars in the lineup. The Lakers’ fan base is currently hoping for Reaves to be treated as soon as possible so that he can return to the team.