Lakers Name Austin Reaves’ Replacement After Injury Update
This weekend, the Los Angeles Lakers received unfortunate news when guard Austin Reaves was forced to leave Friday night’s 106-102 win against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Reaves exited the game during the first quarter due to soreness in his right calf and was unable to return. Following the game, head coach JJ Redick minimized concerns about the injury’s severity.
“He was dealing with tightness and soreness in his calf,” Redick explained post-game. “We held him out as a precaution… We’re hopeful this isn’t a major injury. It’s still unclear when he’ll be back, but we’re hopeful.”
Reaves had six points on 2-for-4 shooting before exiting and underwent an MRI to assess the injury. On Sunday evening, just an hour before the Lakers’ game against the Clippers, Redick shared the MRI results.
“We were relieved it wasn’t a structural issue or muscle injury. We’ll manage him like any other player and he’ll return when he’s ready,” Redick said on Sunday.
Although the news was positive, Reaves will not play against the Clippers. In his place, Gabe Vincent will start, having contributed seven points, four steals, and three assists in relief of Reaves on Friday.
Before the injury, Reaves had been instrumental in the Lakers’ strong February, averaging 23.5 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.5 rebounds while helping the team achieve a 9-2 record.
The Lakers have won 15 of their last 18 games and have climbed the Western Conference standings, now sitting just half a game behind the Denver Nuggets for the No. 2 spot.