Los Angeles Lakers Set To Be Without Key Player For An Extended Period

Just when you thought the injury bug had taken a big enough bite out of the Lakers, it came back for a second helping. Austin Reaves is officially out for the remainder of the regular season with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain. If you are a fan wearing purple and gold right now, it is perfectly fine to grab the nearest pillow and scream into it.

The news, first dropped by ESPN’s Shams Charania, is a massive gut punch for a team that was finally hitting its stride. Reaves suffered the injury during Thursday’s physical matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He actually tried to play through the discomfort, which tells you everything you need to know about his competitive fire, but the damage was already done.

He is expected to miss four to six weeks, meaning he will definitely be sidelined for the start of the playoffs.

A Devastating Blow to the Lakers’ Playoff Hopes

Reaves was putting together an absolute career year. Averaging a stellar 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 49% from the floor, he transformed into a legitimate go-to scoring option. The Lakers currently sit comfortably in third place in the Western Conference with a 50-27 record. They have five games left on the schedule, and now they have to navigate the unforgiving West without one of their most reliable offensive engines.

The Dallas MRI Fiasco: You Can’t Make This Stuff Up

Now, if you want a little dark comedy to ease the pain, let’s talk about the initial diagnosis. According to Head Coach JJ Redick, the medical team in Dallas actually scanned the completely wrong part of Reaves‘ body during his first MRI. “We made it explicit where it was supposed to be scanned, but they scanned the wrong area,” Redick said.

You really have to laugh so you don’t cry. How do you scan the wrong area? Did they check his ankle to find an oblique tear? It took a second MRI to finally figure out the severity of the strain.

Life Without Reaves and Doncic

The reality of the situation on the court is grim. The Lakers already lost MVP candidate Luka Doncic indefinitely to a frustrating hamstring strain. Now, they are missing their top two scorers just as the postseason is knocking on the door. The heavy burden now falls squarely on the broad shoulders of LeBron James to carry this Lakers squad across the regular-season finish line.