Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers said on Apr. 3 that his recent back injury does not appear to be serious, following a significant defeat by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers lost by 43 points on the road, and both Luka Doncic and Reaves left the game with injuries during the first half.
Reaves returned to play in the second half after receiving treatment at halftime. He described his injury as an overextension but expressed confidence about his condition. “I just overextended a little bit, I don’t know what exactly happened,” Reaves said on Spectrum SportsNet. “But I got some treatment on it at halftime and was able to play, obviously a good sign.”
Lakers head coach JJ Redick commented that he was unsure of the exact nature of Reaves’ back issue but noted that Reaves played through it and would be evaluated further. “He was in a weird position stretching for a basketball, a loose ball, and just felt something intercostal, something in his back in between the ribs,” Redick said. “He was able to play through it and battled back. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”
With playoffs approaching and Doncic’s status unclear due to his hamstring problem, there is concern about player availability for upcoming games. The team may need to rely more heavily on Reaves if Doncic remains sidelined.
There is also positive news regarding Marcus Smart’s recovery from an ankle contusion; he has missed six games but recently participated in on-court activities and could return for Sunday’s matchup against Dallas Mavericks.
As preparations continue for postseason play, monitoring player health will remain crucial for the Lakers.