Mavs Respond to Lakers' JJ Redick Over Comments on Austin Reaves Injury, MRI Scanning 'Wrong Area'

The plot thickens on Austin Reaves' disputed MRI.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick told reporters over the weekend that the Dallas Mavericks scanned the wrong area on Reaves after he suffered a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury, and he ultimately needed a second MRI.

The Mavs have disputed that claim.

"Our medical team followed standard imaging protocols based on the information provided at the time," the organization said in a statement. "There was no error in the scan performed."

The Lakers are now without Reaves and Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) for the remainder of the regular season, and very likely for at least some of the first round of the NBA playoffs. Reaves is expected to miss four to six weeks with his injury, while Dončić's injury generally leads to a month on the sidelines.

Charania and ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that Dončić traveled to Spain to "receive an injection in his injured hamstring with the hope to promote healing and expedite his return to the court."

Being without both players is an enormous loss. Dončić is the team's leading scorer (33.5 PPG) and best playmaker (8.3 APG), while Reaves is second on the team in scoring (23.3 PPG).

"I took my nap after practice, and I woke up with that news, it was like another shot to the [head]," LeBron James told reporters about the moment he found out Reaves would be sidelined. "It was a shot to the heart, obviously, and to the chest and to the mainframe with Luka. ... But we kind of got that news kind of quick, and [Reaves] ... we knew he was going to get an MRI, but I woke up from my nap yesterday and then saw that news, and I was like, 'S--t.' That was literally my tone."

Turns out Reaves got two MRIs, though the Lakers and Mavericks can't seem to agree on whose fault it was.