Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been diagnosed with a left calf strain and will be reevaluated in approximately one week, the team announced Friday.
Austin Reaves Has Mild Calf Strain
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin noted that while calf strains typically keep NBA players sidelined for a minimum of two to four weeks, the Lakers described Reaves’ calf strain as “mild.”
Reaves, 27, is having a breakout season in his fifth campaign, averaging career highs of 27.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 36.9 minutes per game through 21 appearances.
The 6-foot-5 guard also has a shooting line of 50.3/36.9/87.5.
He ranks 12th in the league this season in points (583), 19th in assists (141), fifth in free throws (168), and 11th in offensive box plus/minus (5.3), per Basketball Reference.
L.A. To Play Three Road Games
Reaves missed three games in early November due to a right groin strain.
On Wednesday, Lakers coach JJ Redick acknowledged the recent schedule had taken a toll on Reaves.
“Our performance team mentioned that the two games back-to-back [in Toronto and Boston] and then Philly again, those were three very taxing games in terms of his both intensity and workload,” Redick said, per McMenamin.
The Lakers are set to play three road games in the next week: at Phoenix on Sunday, at Utah on Thursday, and against the Clippers next Saturday at the Intuit Dome.
With Reaves out, Gabe Vincent and Marcus Smart are expected to take on more backcourt minutes.
Lakers Have Been Inconsistent Defensively
The Purple and Gold have been struggling on the defensive end as of late.
L.A. has lost three of its past five games, including an embarrassing 132-119 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. Eight Spurs scored at least eight points, and their bench outscored the Lakers’ reserves 48-31.
Redick said the Lakers had a film session Friday to examine how the team allowed San Antonio to score 35 points in transition, the most they allowed any team to score all season.
“I don’t think there’s anybody in that meeting room that thinks we’re a good defensive team right now,” Redick said, “but I also don’t think there’s anybody in that meeting room who thinks we can’t be a good defensive team. We’ve got to get better.”
The Lakers (17-7) currently rank fourth in the Western Conference standings.
