Austin Reaves is out for the rest of the Rockets game with an injury
This is definitely not a Christmas present Los Angeles Lakers fans hoped it would unravel. During Lakers’ high-profile Christmas matchup against Houston Rockets in the Cripto.com Arena, the guardian Austin Reaves was turned off until the end of the competition with an injury to the left lower leg.
The news puts a damper on holiday festivities for the Purple and Gold, who were looking to make a statement against a surging Rockets team.
According to Brett Sigel, Reaves suffered “left calf soreness” and returned to the locker room, and the team quickly confirmed that he would not return. This is particularly troubling for Los Angeles given Reeves’ recent history; he has just returned to the squad after a miss three games with similar left calf strain. Seeing him sidelined again so soon raises immediate concerns about the potential for that long-standing problem to worsen.
Before his night was cut short, Reeves was trying to find his rhythm. He had 15 minutes, scoring 12 points with a couple of assists, serving as a secondary playmaker behind LeBron James. His ability to create off the dribble was immediately missed as the Lakers’ offense stagnated without his spacing and decision-making in the second half.
For the Lakers, Reaves is more than just a role; he is the glue that holds their stars together. With the Western Conference standings as tight as ever, losing a starter of his caliber for any length of time would be a huge blow.
Head coach JJ Redick will likely have to rely more on his bench depth, esp looking at guys like Marcus Smart and Dalton Knecht to bolster the backfield rotation.
2025-12-26 02:46:00
