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The Los Angeles Lakers appeared to have taken another hit to their lineup with only five games remaining before the playoffs tip off.
The Lakers will be without Austin Reaves for the rest of the regular season after the guard sustained a left oblique muscle injury, ESPN first reported Saturday.
Reaves is reportedly expected to miss four to six weeks. The team plays a road game against the Dallas Mavericks Sunday.
The franchise later announced the injury.
Reaves has emerged as one of the Lakers’ top players since he joined the team before the 2021-22 season. The former Oklahoma and Wichita State player joined the Lakers as an undrafted free agent. He started to earn starting time during his third season with the franchise.
The 27-year-old has played in 51 games this year. He’s averaging 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds. He played 27 minutes in the team’s 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday night.
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Word of Reaves’ season-ending ailment came a day after the team also lost Luka Dončić for the rest of the regular season with a left hamstring strain. Dončić was in the running for the NBA MVP award and scored 600 points in the month of March.
“Our mission, it hasn’t changed,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said earlier Saturday. “The rest of these guys and my staff, we’re going after the three seed, and we’re going to try to win a playoff series.”
Reaves will be eligible for a lucrative contract extension in the offseason if he declines his player option for the 2026-27 season. Reports indicated Reaves will likely decline the option.
The Lakers play their final game of the season April 12 against the Utah Jazz.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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