Austin Reaves will not play against the Hawks with a groin injury
LeBron James deals with sciatica and has just to dress up this season. Luka Doncic has already missed four games due to finger and lower body injuries. And now Austin Reaves is be excluded for the third straight contest with a right groin strain, according to NBA correspondent Marc Stein. Somehow, though, LA (7-2) is working its way through adversity and heading toward the top of the Western Conference standings.
It’s too early for fans to get excited, but there were times when those aforementioned absences would break up the squad. Lakers coach JJ Redick has done a great job in the early stages of laying a solid foundation for his players to lean on when the turbulence hits. So while a skilled scorer and impactful playmaker like Reaves will be out of the game against Atlanta Hawks (4-4) on Saturday, there’s reason to believe LA can still make progress.
The Hawks have their own injury issues to deal with, like the All-Star point guard Trae Young is recovering from a sprained MCL. Redick should also be able to depend on Doncic to pick up the slack on offense if needed. Even so, a healthy Austin Reaves is clearly an integral part of the Lakers’ championship hopes.
The 27-year-old guard is averaging 31.1 points on 48.9 percent shooting, 9.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. Aside from the huge numbers he’s putting up, Reaves is embracing his bigger job in James’ absence. If he can maintain this fantastic form throughout the campaign, the undrafted Newark, Arkansas native will sign a huge contract next summer ($14.8 million player option at the end of this season).
While Reaves is certainly itching to get back on the court, he will trust Luka Doncic, DeAndre Ayton, Rui Hachimura and the rest of the team to get a win in Atlanta. Tip-off will begin on Saturday around 8pm ET.
2025-11-07 23:15:00
