Austin Reaves Out for Lakers vs. Blazers, Joins Injured Luka Doncic, LeBron James
The Los Angeles Lakers have enough talent to compete for a championship this year, but through the first few weeks of the season, they can't seem to stay healthy.
Per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Austin Reaves is out for Monday's contest against the Portland Trail Blazers because of right groin soreness, joining Luka Dončić (lower left leg contusion injury management) and LeBron James (right sciatica) on the injury report.
Reaves is off to an MVP-caliber start to the season, putting up 31.1 points, 9.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game through seven contests. He dropped a career-high 51 points against the Sacramento Kings last week and followed it up with a 41-point outing the next night.
With James yet to make his season debut and Dončić missing three games, Reaves has carried the Lakers to a 5-2 start.
Dončić has also been on fire to start the season when he's played, averaging 41.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. He began the season with three consecutive 40-plus-point outings.
Dončić had to miss some time in October because of a left finger sprain and a lower left leg contusion, and it appears the Lakers are being cautious with their star by giving him the night off to manage the leg contusion.
James has been dealing with his injury since well before the season started. Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed last week that the team is eyeing the second or third week of November for James' return date.
The Lakers will be without their three stars on Monday with Reaves, Dončić and James all sidelined, but the injuries don't end there.
Los Angeles will be without Gave Vincent (left ankle sprain) and Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery) against the Blazers. Deandre Ayton is questionable with back spasms, and the Lakers' backup big man, Maxi Kleber, is questionable as well.
The Lakers will need big minutes from their role players on Monday, and they'll look to offseason addition Jake LaRavia after a three-game stretch in which he averaged 21.7 points on 78.1 percent from the field.
