The Los Angeles Lakers are facing another setback as guard Austin Reaves is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks due to a Grade 2 oblique injury, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin and Shams Charania.
Reaves underwent imaging after experiencing discomfort in his side during the team's recent loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The injury was later confirmed as a moderate strain of his left oblique, one that typically requires several weeks of recovery.
The timeline likely rules him out for the remainder of the regular season, dealing a significant blow to a Lakers team already managing multiple injuries.
Reaves initially felt the issue during the first half of the Thunder game while going for a rebound. Although he briefly left to be evaluated, he returned and finished the game, leading the team in scoring with 15 points.
Head coach JJ Reddick said during Lakers practice, "The second [MRI] was today. Again, I don't know where the chain of command lies with Dallas imaging, but uh they scanned the wrong area. Not on our end. We made it explicit what was supposed to be scanned but they scanned the wrong area."
The diagnosis comes at a difficult moment for Los Angeles, which is also without Luka Dončić due to a hamstring strain. With both key playmakers sidelined, the Lakers will need to adjust their offensive approach heading into the final stretch of the season.
Coach Redick acknowledged the challenge but emphasized that the team's goals remain unchanged.
"Our mission hasn't changed," Redick said earlier. "We're going after the 3-seed, and we're going to try to win a playoff series."
With just a handful of games remaining and a tight race in the Western Conference standings, the Lakers will now rely more heavily on players like LeBron James and Rui Hachimura to carry the load.
