Austin Reaves Sidelined 4–6 Weeks With Grade 2 Oblique Strain, Will Miss Lakers’ Remaining Regular-Season Games
austin-reaves-out-rest-of-regular-season-with-oblique-strain
The Los Angeles Lakers announced that guard Austin Reaves will miss the rest of the regular season after an MRI revealed a Grade 2 strain of his left oblique.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the 25-year-old is expected to be out four to six weeks, which could delay his return until the second or third round of the playoffs.
Reaves suffered the injury during Thursday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, feeling pain on his left side while chasing a rebound. “I went back to get a rebound and I felt something,” he told reporters.
Head coach JJ Redick said the first imaging session on Saturday missed the correct area. “I don’t know where the chain of command lies with Dallas imaging, but they scanned the wrong area,” Redick explained.
The setback arrives one day after Luka Dončić was ruled out for the remainder of the regular season with a hamstring injury, leaving Los Angeles short-handed as the postseason approaches.
Redick indicated the Lakers will adopt an “all-hands-on-deck” approach, with LeBron James, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton expected to shoulder larger offensive roles. “You got to flip the mindset a little bit,” James said. “Whatever is needed.”
Veteran guard Marcus Smart is listed as day-to-day, while several G League call-ups are expected to bolster the rotation as Los Angeles attempts to protect its playoff position.
Source: Hoops Wire
