Austin Reaves Out 4-6 Weeks With Oblique Strain — Lakers Lose Both Stars

The Lakers didn't just lose Luka to the Thunder game. They lost Reaves too.

Austin Reaves suffered a Grade 2 oblique muscle strain in the same April 2nd blowout loss to Oklahoma City. He felt something going up for a rebound in the first half — 'overextended a little bit' — and tried to play through it. The 4-6 week recovery timeline means he'll miss the rest of the regular season and likely the entire first round.

This is a franchise-altering double blow. Reaves was averaging a career-high in assists and had become the Lakers' most reliable playmaker when Luka sat. Now JJ Redick has to figure out how to hold a playoff seed with neither of his top two options for five games.

The silver lining, if you squint: a 4-6 week timeline from April 2nd puts Reaves' return somewhere around early-to-mid May. If the Lakers survive Round 1, he could be back for the second round. That's a massive 'if' without him and Luka.