DALLAS — Following the announcement of Luka Doncic’s left hamstring strain, which will keep him out of play indefinitely, Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick reported that Austin Reaves underwent an MRI for an injury to his left oblique/rib area on Saturday. This leaves his participation in Sunday’s match against the Dallas Mavericks uncertain.
Despite the team being short-handed—with guard Marcus Smart also listed as day-to-day due to groin and ankle issues—Redick emphasized the determination of the Lakers. “Our mission remains unchanged,” he stated. “The goal is to secure the 3 seed and advance in the playoffs. We’ll see how things play out with Luka.”
The Lakers (50-27) currently hold a slim lead over the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets, with a one-game advantage, and two games ahead of the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets. They have three games in hand on the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves and also maintain the tiebreaker against all three teams due to having won their season series.
On Friday, it was confirmed that Doncic has a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, typically requiring about a month of recovery. The Lakers have not offered a timeline for his return, only stating he will miss the remainder of the regular season, with the NBA playoffs starting in two weeks.
Reaves experienced discomfort in his left side during the first half of the Lakers’ significant loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. He returned briefly but managed a team-high of 15 points in 27 minutes. “I felt something when I stretched for a rebound,” he recounted. “But I feel okay now, so we’ll see.”
Both Reaves and Smart had limited participation in practice at Southern Methodist University on Saturday. With Doncic sidelined and Reaves’ status uncertain, Redick mentioned that the offensive load will be shared among players like LeBron James, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura, and Deandre Ayton.
James acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, “You can’t replace that kind of impact. We need to tighten up our play, especially with key players out.” He highlighted that his role has shifted recently as he averaged 15.6 points in the last seven games while adjusting to a lower usage rate. Redick signaled a potential increase in the playing rotation, hinting that players from the G League playoffs would join the team as they prepare for the upcoming games against challenging opponents.
