Luka Doncic’s message of support for Austin Reeves due to his shin injury

LOS ANGELES – After missing three straight games with a calf injury, Austin Reaves returned to Los Angeles Lakers‘ lineup on Tuesday during the team’s loss to the Phoenix Suns. On Christmas Day against the Houston Rockets, Reaves was off to a good startbut he was he was unable to return to the game after halftime due to the aforementioned calf injury. With Reaves’ status up in the air, his teammate Luka Dončić was able to connect.

Exactly one year ago, Luka Doncic suffered a calf injury during the Dallas Mavericks’ Christmas game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. That would end up being the last game he ever played for the Mavericks as he was traded to the Lakers. He did not take the floor again until February 10, which meant that a little over a month had passed.

After the Lakers’ loss to the Rockets, Doncic offered a message of support to Reaves, while using his own experience to warn him not to return too soon.

“I talked to him. He just said he didn’t know. He will go for an MRI,” Doncic said. “I know what it’s like to go through a calf injury, it’s not fun at all. Just be there to support him. Take your time. Calves are dangerous, take your time.”

With the Lakers struggling to find any consistency against the Rockets, Reaves was back in the starting lineup after coming off the bench in Phoenix, looking like the only Laker ready to play. Reaves had nine points in the first quarter while shooting 4-of-5 from the field.

He would finish with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, including 2-of-5 from the 3-point line, before being sat out the rest of the game after halftime.

Reaves has had the best season of his career so far emerged as a legitimate All-Star contender. So far, he has appeared in 23 games, with a little more than 35 minutes per game. He is averaging career highs of 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.0 steals on 50.7 percent shooting from the field, 36.5 percent from the 3-point line and 87.3 percent from the free throw line.

The upcoming offseason is a big one for Reaves as well. He can opt out of his contract and become a free agent, which he very likely will do.

The Lakers next game is on Sunday, December 28, and a new update on Reaves will likely come the day before that.