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Lakers’ Austin Reaves ruled out for rest of Rockets game with concerning injury
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- Lakers’ Austin Reaves ruled out for rest of Rockets game with concerning injury
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Lakers' Austin Reaves ruled out for rest of Rockets game with concerning injury appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
This is definitely not the Christmas present Los Angeles Lakers fans were hoping to unwrap. During the Lakers' high-profile Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena, guard Austin Reaves was ruled out for the remainder of the contest with a left calf injury.
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The news puts a damper on the holiday festivities for the Purple and Gold, who were looking to make a statement against a surging Rockets team.
According to Brett Siegel, Reaves suffered "left calf soreness" and went back to the locker room, with the team quickly confirming he would not return. This is particularly worrying for Los Angeles given Reaves' recent history; he had just returned to the lineup after missing three games with a similar left calf strain . Seeing him sidelined again so quickly raises immediate concerns about a potential aggravation of that lingering issue.
Before his night was cut short, Reaves was trying to find his rhythm. He had logged 15 minutes, putting up 12 points to go along with a handful of assists, serving as a secondary playmaker behind LeBron James . His ability to create off the dribble was missed immediately as the Lakers' offense stagnated without his spacing and decision-making in the second half.
For the Lakers, Reaves is more than just a role player; he's the glue guy who connects their stars. With the Western Conference standings as tight as ever, losing a starter of his caliber for any extended period would be a massive blow.
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Head coach JJ Redick will likely have to rely more heavily on his bench depth, specifically looking at guys like Marcus Smart and Dalton Knecht to step up in the backcourt rotation.
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