Lakers lose Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves for regular season with injuries
The Sporting Tribune
Host · Writer
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a significant blow to their postseason outlook Saturday, announcing that both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves will miss the remainder of the regular season due to injuries.
Dončić, who exited Thursday’s 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. The team has not provided a firm timetable for his return, but the injury is expected to sideline him through the regular season and potentially into the start of the playoffs.
Hours later, the Lakers confirmed that Reaves sustained a Grade 2 left oblique injury. While the team did not initially outline a recovery timeline, ESPN reported that Reaves is expected to miss four to six weeks after undergoing an MRI on Saturday, effectively ending his regular season.
The injuries leave Los Angeles without its two primary playmakers during a critical stretch run. The Lakers (50-27) currently hold a narrow grip on the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with just five games remaining, sitting one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets and holding tiebreakers over several contenders.
“This is a challenge for us,” LeBron James said. “There’s no way you can replace that type of impact. It’s going to be a collective group. We all have to do a little bit more.”
Reaves initially suffered the injury in the first half against Oklahoma City when he overextended while going for a rebound. He briefly left the game but returned and finished with a team-high 15 points. Further evaluation revealed the severity of the injury after multiple MRI exams.
With Dončić and Reaves sidelined, coach JJ Redick said the Lakers will rely on a committee approach offensively, leaning more heavily on James along with Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and Deandre Ayton.
“Our mission hasn’t changed,” Redick said. “We’re going after the 3-seed and we’re going to try to win a playoff series.”
The Lakers are also dealing with additional depth concerns, as guard Marcus Smart remains day-to-day with groin and ankle injuries.
To compensate, Redick said the team will expand its rotation, potentially incorporating younger players such as Kobe Bufkin, Nick Smith Jr. and Dalton Knecht, who are expected to rejoin the team following G League assignments.
James, who had settled into a reduced offensive role during the team’s recent surge, acknowledged that his responsibilities will shift again.
“You’ve got to flip the mindset a little bit when your role changes,” he said. “Now we’ve got to be even more locked in.”
The Lakers begin a demanding final stretch Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks before facing a gauntlet of Western Conference contenders, including Oklahoma City, Golden State and Phoenix, in the final week of the regular season.
With the playoffs set to begin in two weeks, Los Angeles will now have to navigate its postseason push without two of its most important contributors — at least for now.
