Reaves' absence comes at a tough time for a Los Angeles squad that has struggled in recent games.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves will miss at least a week of action with a mild left calf strain, the team announced on Friday.
The Diagnosis
Reaves has been diagnosed with a mild left calf strain and will be re-evaluated in about one week.
The 27-year-old guard played through the Lakers' NBA Cup quarterfinal loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, finishing with 15 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in 40 minutes of action, though the exact moment he suffered the injury remains unclear.
He will miss at least the next two games on the road against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday and the Utah Jazz on Thursday, and he could potentially return for the Clippers matchup at Intuit Dome next Saturday.
Redick Addresses Reaves' Workload
Head coach JJ Redick had already noted the toll the recent schedule has taken on Reaves before the injury news came out.
"Our performance team mentioned that the two games back-to-back in Toronto and Boston and then Philly again, those were three very taxing games in terms of his both intensity and workload," Redick said before the Spurs game.
After practice on Saturday, Redick provided more details on the injury and expressed confidence that Reaves won't be out long.
"Yeah, it's a mild strain, grade one. He'll be out a week," Redick said, adding that the team will be careful not to rush him back given how other players around the league have suffered more serious injuries by playing through calf issues.
A Career-Best Season Cut Short (For Now)
The timing of this injury is especially tough because Reaves has been having by far the best season of his career and has established himself as the true No. 2 option alongside Luka Doncic.
Through 21 games this season, the fifth-year guard is averaging career highs of 27.8 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient 50.3 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three-point range.
He has been playing at an All-Star level and even flirting with the exclusive 50/40/90 club, which shows just how locked in he has been all year.
Redick has been impressed with how Reaves has grown his game this season.
"There's a cadence right now to his game," Redick said recently. "He's got a great understanding of when he has a good matchup. He's got a great understanding of how to play with Luka. And so the flow state that every athlete kind of searches for, he's just in that right now."
Looking Ahead
The Lakers currently sit at 17-7 on the season and hold the fourth spot in the Western Conference, but they have lost three of their last five games, and their defense has been a major concern.
They allowed 35 transition points to the Spurs in their NBA Cup loss, and Redick acknowledged the team has work to do on that end of the floor.
"I don't think there's anybody in that meeting room that thinks we're a good defensive team right now," Redick said, "but I also don't think there's anybody in that meeting room who thinks we can't be a good defensive team."
With Reaves out, players like Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent will likely see bigger roles, and the Lakers will need their starters to pick up the scoring slack since their bench already ranks last in the league at just 24.5 points per game.
The good news is that the Lakers only have two games over the next seven days, which gives the team some time to adjust and gives Reaves the rest he needs to get healthy before a busy stretch ahead.