The Los Angeles Lakers have delivered another major blow to their playoff hopes, announcing that guard Austin Reaves will miss the remainder of the regular season with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury.
The news, confirmed on Saturday via Shams Charania of ESPN, comes just days after the team learned that superstar Luka Doncic would also be sidelined for the rest of the regular season — and potentially the start of the playoffs — due to a hamstring strain. The two injuries occurred in the same game, turning what was already a challenging stretch into a devastating run for the Lakers.
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Reaves, who has been one of the most consistent performers for Los Angeles this season, was diagnosed following an MRI on his left oblique/rib area. He initially suffered the injury while going for a rebound against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he was seen holding his hip area. Speaking after the game, Reaves described the moment: “I went back to get a rebound, overextended a little bit, and I felt something. But I feel decent right now, so we’ll see.”
Further updates from Charania indicated that Reaves is expected to miss four to six weeks with the Grade 2 oblique strain. This timeline means the 27-year-old guard will not only sit out the final games of the regular season but is also likely to miss at least the beginning of the NBA playoffs.
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In 51 games this season, Reaves has averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting an impressive 49% from the field. His production, alongside Doncic, has formed the backbone of the Lakers’ offense, combining for more than 55 points per game on most nights.
The timing could hardly be worse for Los Angeles. The team entered the weekend with a 50-27 record, sitting third in the Western Conference standings. With both of their leading scorers now unavailable, the Lakers will rely heavily on veterans LeBron James, Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and the rest of the roster to navigate the final five games of the regular season.
Head coach JJ Redick addressed the mounting injuries with determination. “Our mission, it hasn’t changed,” Redick said. “The rest of these guys and my staff, we’re going after the 3-seed and we’re going to try to win a playoff series. And we’ll see what happens with Luka.”
Reaves had previously missed 19 games earlier in the season due to a calf injury, adding to the team’s injury concerns. He was initially listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, but the latest diagnosis has ruled him out for the remainder of the regular season.
The Lakers now face an uphill battle as they push to secure favorable playoff positioning. Without Reaves and with Doncic’s status uncertain for the postseason, Los Angeles must find ways to generate offense and maintain defensive intensity through a depleted lineup.
As the regular season winds down, all eyes will be on how the Lakers respond to this latest adversity. For a team built around star power, the absence of both Reaves and Doncic represents a significant test of depth and resilience heading into the most critical part of the year.