Lakers guard Austin Reaves exited Friday’s game against the Clippers and did not return due to right calf soreness, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. He subbed out with just under three minutes left in the first quarter and will receive an MRI on Saturday.
“He was experiencing some tightness in the calf, some soreness,” head coach JJ Redick said. “Was held out as a precaution.”
Forward Rui Hachimura missed Friday’s game entirely after he was ruled out due to a left knee strain he suffered on Thursday against the Timberwolves. Hachimura received an MRI on Friday, and while there’s no timetable for his return yet, Redick expressed optimism that the injury isn’t serious.
“It’s still not quite clear on when he will be available to play,” Redick said. “But we’re optimistic.”
The Lakers’ head coach later clarified that Hachimura has been diagnosed with left patellar tendinopathy and will be reassessed in one week, according to McMenamin (Twitter links).
In Reaves’ place, Gabe Vincent received an uptick in minutes and started the second half. Forward Dorian Finney-Smith took over a starting role with Hachimura out.
The surging Lakers will feel the absence of Reaves and/or Hachimura if either has to miss much time. Reaves has recorded multiple 30-point games since New Year’s Eve and is averaging 23.5 PPG in his last 11. Hachimura is a full-time starter when healthy, averaging 13.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest this season.
The Lakers have won 15 of their last 18 games to move up the standings and now sit just a game back of the second seed in the West.
Lakers are 1 gm in back of Denver for 2nd seed. After 58 gms that’s very impressive. Has to be someone out there in buyout market for them right.
Hope Reaves is ok.
Reaves is crucial to my fantasy basketball team, praying it’s nothing serious but pretty sure he’s gonna be out awhile
Lakers playing hair-on-fire defense, absolute max effort, since the trade. Good on them but it’s still the regular season for a while and predictably it has led to lots of little nicks and pulls. There’s a reason teams don’t try to do that all season.
This does not bode well for the team since their remaining schedule is pretty brutal. Can’t afford to take their foot off the gas, but they could be ok if Luca starts shooting better…and everyone else stays healthy.
I hope Goodwin gets more minutes with Reaves out. Knecht too.
Checking in on all the JJ haters that were so vocal during the preseason. How are you holding up?
It feels weird to have been one of the seemingly few people with no opinion on his hire lol. Obviously there was the possibility he was hired to appease LeBron, but considering it was also possible he was hired on merits it didn’t make any sense to assume one way or the other.
Frankly, I feel like that’s the case with a lot of coaching hires: experience and qualifications are nice but there’s so much we’re not privy too as fans that it’s hard to judge any initial hiring (aside from retread hires, of course). And the most important traits a coach can possess—ability to adjust, ability to connect, critical thinking skills, fitting the individual pieces into a cohesive whole—generally aren’t ones fans can know they would or would not possess ahead of time.