Luka Doncic Offers Support to Austin Reaves After Guard Suffers Calf Strain
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is expected to miss at least one month after an MRI confirmed a grade 2 strain in his right calf, the same leg that sidelined him for three games last week. Reaves left the team’s Christmas Day defeat to the Houston Rockets in the first half and did not return.
Teammate Luka Doncic, who sat out 22 consecutive games last season with a similar injury, said he has already spoken with Reaves and urged him not to rush back.
“Yeah, I talked to him,” Doncic told reporters. “He just said he didn’t know the severity; he’ll have an MRI. I told him if he needs anything, I know how it is to go through a calf injury. It’s not fun at all. Just be there to support him. Take your time—calves are dangerous.”
Reaves Faces Critical Stretch
The 27-year-old guard is projected to be a central piece of the franchise’s long-term plans and is widely expected to decline his player option next season, becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026. A more serious setback, such as an Achilles tear that can result from returning too early, could significantly affect his market value.
Head coach JJ Redick must now adjust his rotation while Reaves recuperates. The Lakers, 0-2 on their current holiday stretch, were routed by Houston after Reaves exited. Doncic acknowledged that the recent losses highlight broader issues.
“I don’t know what has to change, but definitely something needs to change,” Doncic said. “I think we’ve blown the last two leads. It looks terrible, but we have to figure it out. Everybody has to talk about it. JJ says it’s going to be uncomfortable—as it should be.”
The Lakers will re-evaluate Reaves in four weeks, while Doncic and Redick search for answers to keep the team competitive in the crowded Western Conference.
Source: Lakers Nation
