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Austin Reaves to be re-evaluated in 4 weeks with grade 2 gastrocnemius strain
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- Austin Reaves to be re-evaluated in 4 weeks with grade 2 gastrocnemius strain
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Austin Reaves to be re-evaluated in 4 weeks with grade 2 gastrocnemius strain appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Following the Los Angeles Lakers ' disappointing loss to the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day, the team suffered another blow as it was announced that Austin Reaves would be sidelined for at least the next four weeks following a calf injury.
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Austin Reaves had recently returned to the Lakers' lineup after suffering the calf injury, but he exited the Christmas game early and did not return. The Lakers are currently mired in a three-game slump and looking to get back on track against the Sacramento Kings this weekend. Losing Reaves for an extended period of time is a major blow as the team hasn't had enough consistent depth to withstand the loss of a key player.
The Rockets game was Reaves' second game back since initially suffering the injury following the Lakers' NBA Cup Quarterfinal loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 10. He was off to a strong start, scoring nine points in the first quarter while shooting 4-of-5 from the field. But following halftime, Reaves was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Reaves' continued development has been one of the biggest success stories over the past few seasons in the NBA. He went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, and initially signed a two-way contract with the Lakers. This season, Reaves has been a legitimate All-Star candidate amid a career-year. It remains to be seen now if his absence will affect his All-Star chances.
This season, Reaves has appeared in 23 games at a little over 35 minutes per game. He's been averaging 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.0 steals with splits of 50.7 percent shooting from the field, 36.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 87.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
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Without Reaves, the Lakers are going to have find ways to score for an offense that has suddenly gone cold. In two of the past three games, the Lakers have put up less than 100 points.
Related: Luka Donicic's supportive Austin Reaves message amid calf injury
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