Austin Reaves Out Rest Of Regular Season With Grade 2 Oblique Injury

The Los Angeles Lakers face the final stretch of the regular season without key guard Austin Reaves and star Luka Doncic, raising concern over their playoff readiness after both players were ruled out for the remaining games.

The Lakers, who have climbed to third in the Western Conference, also recently secured the Pacific Division title. The team has taken 16 wins from the last 19 games, but now must adjust the rotation while waiting to see how both injuries progress before the postseason starts in two weeks.

Reaves has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and will not return for any of the remaining regular-season fixtures. The guard suffered the problem during the first half of Thursday’s heavy defeat to Oklahoma City, briefly returned to the court, then underwent an MRI on Saturday which confirmed the diagnosis.

The Lakers have not given a clear timeline for Reaves or Doncic beyond the regular season, but medical guidance suggests this type of muscle issue can need a month or longer to heal. That uncertainty leaves the coaching staff planning for possible early playoff games without two leading offensive options.

Doncic picked up a strained left hamstring in the same game against Oklahoma City, also in the first half, and then came back to finish the contest. Further checks on Friday revealed it was the second significant hamstring injury of Doncic’s career, and the Lakers ruled the superstar out until at least the end of the regular season.

Both injuries arrived at a delicate point in the schedule, with the Lakers travelling to face Dallas on Sunday. The medical staff will monitor responses to treatment over the coming weeks, though the organisation has not confirmed whether either player is expected to feature when the playoffs tip off.

Reaves has developed into a major scoring threat in the NBA and an important partner for Doncic and LeBron James in the Lakers’ attack this season. Across 51 appearances in this campaign, the former undrafted guard is averaging 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds, production that would place Reaves 11th on the league scoring list with enough games played.

This season is Reaves’ fifth with the Lakers, who have relied on consistent offence even as injuries disrupted availability. Reaves already missed 19 games earlier in the campaign after straining a left calf muscle on Christmas, but returned to help drive the team’s surge up the standings before the latest setback.

After shining next to Doncic in a full season together, Reaves is set for a key contract decision. The guard can decline a player option for the 2026-27 season and then sign a major extension in the summer, and both Reaves and the Lakers are understood to expect a long-term stay.

The regular-season schedule now winds down toward the finale on 12 April, when the Lakers host Utah. With playoff seeding and health both in focus, the team must balance rest and rhythm while hoping Reaves and Doncic progress well enough to contribute once the postseason begins.