Shooting guard Austin Reaves will be out at least four weeks with a calf strain, adding to the Los Angeles Lakers’ ongoing struggles, ESPN reported Friday.
Austin Reaves started Thursday’s game between the Lakers and Houston Rockets, but did not return to the court after halftime. The Rockets won 96-119, in one of the NBA’s traditional Christmas Day games.
His departure aggravates Lakers’ crisis
The shooting guard underwent an MRI on Friday, which revealed a grade two strain in his left calf muscle, according to the U.S. network.
The game against the Rockets was Austin Reaves’ second game after missing the previous three due to discomfort in his left calf.
Reaves has been a key player for the Lakers, especially during LeBron James’ early-season absence.
He averaged 26.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Their loss is a problem for Lakers coach JJ Redick, who after last night’s loss to the Rockets – the third in a row – exploded at his locker room.
JJ Redick explodes after loss
“Right now we don’t care enough, and that’s what bothers us the most.”
“We don’t care enough to do what needs to be done or behave like professionals,” Redick said at a press conference.
“The two words of the day were effort and execution. When we’ve done both well, we’ve been a good team. When we haven’t, we’ve been a terrible team.”
“And tonight we were a terrible team. And that started, really, from the first minute,” the coach continued.
“It’s a matter of choice. And too many times we have players who don’t want to make that choice.”
“And it’s pretty consistent who those players are,” added Redick, who warned that this Saturday’s scheduled workout is going to be “uncomfortable.”
With information from EFE
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