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Dave Mcmenamin
Los Angeles-Lakers’ Guard, Austin Reaves, left the victory on Friday night 106-102 against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first quarter with the right pain of the calf and did not return.
Reaves will undergo a magnetic resonance in the calf on Saturday, sources told ESPN.
The fourth year veteran rose to 2:58 remaining in the first quarter with the Lakers following 21-13 and went directly to the locker room. It ended with six points in 2 for 4 shots.
“I was experiencing some calf tension, some pain,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick, after the game. “He was retained as a caution.”
Reaves had been enjoying some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 23.5 points, 6.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 11 games in February entering Friday. Los Angeles was 9-2 in those games.
The Lakers had already dropped a headline in Rui Hachimura, who was discarded due to a left knee tension that suffered Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Redick said Hachimura had a magnetic resonance on Friday, but did not provide a timeline for the striker to return to the game’s action.
“We are optimistic that it is not a serious injury,” said Redick. “It is still not very clear when it will be available to play. But we are optimistic.”
Dorian Finney-Smith began the clippers game in the place of hashimura. Gabe Vincent began the second half of Friday with Reaves outside.
Luka Doncic (31 points, 5 assists, 3 robberies) and LeBron James (28 points, 13 rebounds) led the way Friday night, with the Bank of the Lakers overcoming the reserves of the clippers 29-14.
The Lakers have won 15 of their last 18 games to increase No. 4 in the classification of the West Conference, only half a game behind the Memphis Grizzlies No. 3 and a Nuggets game No. 2 of Denver.
“We are in a good place, but we don’t feel comfortable at all,” said James. “We have not played our best game, we are able to play honestly. We have a couple of injuries and things of that nature that we must also attend.
