Luka Donicic’s supportive Austin Reaves message amid calf injury

LOS ANGELES – After missing three straight games due to a calf injury, Austin Reaves returned to the Los Angeles Lakers’ lineup on Tuesday during the team’s loss to the Phoenix Suns. On Christmas Day against the Houston Rockets, Reaves was off to a good start, but was unable to return to the game after halftime due to said calf injury. With Reaves’ status up in the air, his teammate Luka Doncic was able to relate.

Exactly one year ago, Luka Doncic suffered a calf injury during the Dallas Mavericks’ Christmas Day game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. That would end up being the last game he ever played for the Mavericks as he was traded to the Lakers. He would not take the floor again until Feb. 10, making it a little over a month that he was sidelined.

Following the Lakers’ loss to the Rockets, Doncic offered a message of support for Reaves, while cautioning him about returning too soon based on his own experiences.

“I talked to him. He just said he doesn’t know. He’s gonna have an MRI,” Doncic said. “I know what it’s like to go through a calf injury, it’s not fun at all. Just be there to support him. Take your time. Calves are dangerous, take your time.”

With the Lakers struggling to find any consistency against the Rockets, it was Reaves, back in the starting lineup after coming off the bench in Phoenix, who looked like the only Laker that was ready to play. Reaves had nine points in the first quarter while shooting 4-of-5 from the field.

He would end up with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, including 2-of-5 from the 3-point line, before he was ruled out for the rest of the game after halftime.

Reaves has been having the best season of his career so far and has emerged as a legitimate All-Star candidate. He has appeared in 23 games so far, at a little over 35 minutes per game. He’s been averaging a career-high 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.0 steals with splits of 50.7 percent shooting from the field, 36.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 87.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The upcoming offseason is big one for Reaves as well. He can opt out of his contract and become a free agent, something he is very likely to do.

The Lakers next game is on Sunday, Dec. 28, and a new update on Reaves will likely come the day before then.

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