Austin Reaves, the Lakers’ standout shooting guard, has been out of action since taking a rough fall during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 29, 2024. The injury, a left pelvic contusion, has kept him sidelined for four straight games, including the Lakers’ heartbreaking overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on December 6, where they came up just short, losing 134-132. With Reaves out, the team has been struggling to find their rhythm, and it’s clear they miss his steady presence on the floor.
Reaves had been hopeful about returning for the Hawks game and even went through shootarounds before being ruled out. Unfortunately, Lakers head coach JJ Redick confirmed that he’s still day-to-day. In the meantime, the Lakers’ offense has not been at their best, averaging just 92.7 points per game in their last three outings before facing Atlanta. Reaves averages 16.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game this season, making his absence noticeable. His shooting efficiency, with 44% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc, has been crucial for the Lakers.
Luckily, the MRI didn’t show anything serious in terms of structural damage, but the team’s taking it slow with his recovery to avoid any setbacks. With Reaves injured, the Lakers also miss crucial players Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood. The hope is that Reaves can return soon to help get the Lakers back on track for what’s sure to be a tight playoff race.
Lakers Continue To Face Challenges Amid Austin Reaves’ Absence
With Reaves out, the Lakers are turning to guys like D’Angelo Russell and Gabe Vincent to pick up the slack. These two must take on more backcourt responsibility to fill Reaves’s scoring and playmaking gaps. Unfortunately, the missing pieces, combined with injuries to other important players, have made it difficult for the Lakers to play their usual fast-paced, effective style on both ends of the court.
Things have been pretty tough for the Lakers lately. They’ve hit a rough patch with a three-game losing streak, which included some pretty embarrassing losses to the Miami Heat (134-93) and Minnesota Timberwolves (109-80). Their narrow loss to the Hawks only added to the frustration. Even though LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for an impressive 77 points in that game, it wasn’t enough to get the win, as Trae Young’s clutch three-pointer sealed the deal for Atlanta. Now, with a 12-11 record, the pressure’s on the Lakers to figure things out quickly.
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Despite the struggles, there’s still hope for the Lakers. LeBron and AD are doing their best to keep the team competitive, with LeBron averaging 23.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.0 rebounds in 23 games this season and Davis contributing 27.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 22 games. Fans are hoping Reaves will return soon to help turn things around, as the Lakers will need him back if they want to stay in the playoff hunt and get back to their winning ways.
