Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Lakers
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Lakers Luka Doncic, left, and Austin Reaves talk during a timeout at Crypto.com Arena.
The Los Angeles Lakers received a mixed injury update Friday, with guard Austin Reaves remaining sidelined while franchise star Luka Dončić avoided serious injury and was cleared to play.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Lakers coach JJ Redick confirmed that Reaves is still out as he continues his recovery from a right calf strain, while Dončić was upgraded from questionable to available for Friday’s road game against the Washington Wizards.
“Redick says Reaves has not had any setbacks, he has continued to progress and just reached the five-week mark since the injury,” McMenamin reported on X.
Reaves had been upgraded to questionable on Thursday’s official NBA injury report, fueling optimism about an imminent return. That expectation was tempered Friday as the Lakers opted to proceed cautiously, prioritizing long-term availability over a rushed comeback.
Austin Reaves Continues Steady Ramp-Up for Lakers Return
Reaves has steadily increased his workload since suffering the calf injury on Christmas Day against Houston. While he has yet to return to live game action, the Lakers remain encouraged by his progress behind the scenes.
“Austin’s been ramping up behind the scenes, playing in what they call ‘stay ready’ games—basically five-on-five with some of the bench players and some of the coaches,” McMenamin said earlier this week. “So far, there have been no setbacks whatsoever.”
Before the injury, Reaves was in the midst of the most productive stretch of his career. Through 22 games, the fourth-year guard averaged 27.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.0 steal, emerging as a reliable secondary creator and scorer alongside Dončić.
Reaves’ next opportunity to return could come Sunday at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks, a nationally anticipated matchup that would provide a high-profile stage for his reentry.
Lakers Star Luka Dončić Avoids Serious Injury
While Reaves remains out, the Lakers exhaled after Dončić avoided a significant ankle injury following a scare in Wednesday’s win at Cleveland.
Dončić was initially listed as questionable after twisting his ankle while attempting a three-pointer near the bench area against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The incident prompted immediate concern as he limped to the locker room for evaluation.
Dončić ultimately returned and finished the game, recording 29 points, five rebounds and six assists in just 29 minutes. He shot 12-of-20 from the field and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, gutting through visible discomfort.
“I kind of got scared—it wasn’t a great feeling,” Dončić said afterward. “Looking back at the video, I think I got a little bit lucky. It hurts more now, but I tried to go.”
Court Safety Comes Under Renewed Scrutiny
The play drew renewed scrutiny to Cleveland’s court layout near the bench area. In 2023, Miami Heat guard Dru Smith suffered a season-ending ACL injury after landing awkwardly in the same area.
“That’s the first thing I thought,” Dončić said, referencing Smith’s injury. “That’s why I got scared. It’s the only court that’s like this, so I guess it’s my fault.”
Redick did not mince words when asked about the incident.
“There’s been a number of injuries over the years in this building because of the floor,” Redick said. “It is absolutely a safety hazard, and I don’t know why it’s still like that.
“You can lodge formal complaints, but a lot of times you don’t see any change when you lodge a formal complaint.”
The NBA responded to the incident and vowed to address it.
“While improvements have been made to the arena floor over the years to address this issue, the NBA and the Cavaliers are revisiting the situation given the incident last night,” a league spokesperson said Thursday night, according to The Athletic.