Austin Reaves Out Four Weeks With Calf Strain

Merlin sees the Lakers will be without Austin Reaves for at least a month after an MRI revealed a grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain. Reaves left the Christmas Day game with what the team called "left calf soreness" and will be reevaluated in four weeks. The team says this is "a separate strain" from the earlier mild calf issue that cost him three games. Losing Reaves removes a top scorer and playmaker from a 19 10 Lakers team. Merlin notes the timing stings. LeBron James and Luka Dončić will shoulder more scoring and Marcus Smart could see expanded minutes as the backcourt is reshuffled. The club will "monitor" Reaves closely, and how the Lakers cope over the next two weeks will tell whether this is a hiccup or a longer derailment.