Overview
- Austin Reaves left the Christmas Day loss to the Rockets at halftime with left calf soreness after scoring 12 points in 15 minutes, and testing Friday identified a Grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain.
- The Lakers said he will be re-evaluated in about four weeks, a timetable that could translate to roughly 14 missed games if recovery tracks to plan.
- The setback is a re-aggravation of the same calf that sidelined him for three games earlier in December, prompting a cautious approach that teammates such as Luka Dončić have urged.
- Marcus Smart started the second half in Reaves’ place as Los Angeles dropped its third straight, with coach J.J. Redick criticizing the team’s effort after the defeat.
- Reaves is in the midst of a career year at 26.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game, and his absence overlaps a dense January schedule and approaches the Feb. 5 trade deadline.