It wasn’t the kind of Christmas surprise Lakers fans were hoping for. During Los Angeles’ marquee Christmas Day showdown with the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena, guard Austin Reaves was ruled out for the remainder of the game due to left calf soreness - a troubling development given his recent injury history.
Reaves exited after logging 15 minutes of action, during which he dropped 12 points and chipped in a few assists. He looked like he was starting to settle into the flow of the game, playing his usual role as a secondary playmaker behind LeBron James.
But then came the setback. After heading to the locker room, the team quickly announced he wouldn’t return - a move that immediately raised red flags considering he had just returned from a three-game absence with a similar left calf strain.
And that’s where the concern really kicks in. This wasn’t just a tweak or a precautionary pull.
Reaves had only just gotten back into the lineup, and now he’s back on the shelf with what appears to be a flare-up of the same issue. For a Lakers team trying to find its rhythm in a crowded Western Conference race, this is the kind of disruption that can throw off more than just a rotation - it can shift the trajectory of a season.
Reaves may not be the flashiest name on the roster, but his value to this team goes far beyond the box score. He’s the connective tissue between the stars.
He spaces the floor, makes smart reads, and provides that reliable presence on both ends of the court. Without him, the offense noticeably lost some of its fluidity.
The Lakers struggled to generate quality looks in the second half, missing the poise and decision-making Reaves typically brings when defenses collapse on LeBron or Anthony Davis.
Now, head coach JJ Redick is facing a tough stretch of lineup juggling. With Reaves potentially sidelined again, the Lakers will need to lean more heavily on their bench depth. That means more minutes for Marcus Smart, who brings defensive grit and veteran savvy, and a bigger role for rookie Dalton Knecht, who’s shown flashes but hasn’t yet been tested in extended high-leverage minutes.
It’s still unclear how long Reaves might be out, but with the standings as tight as they are out West, every game - and every player - counts. The Lakers will be hoping this is a minor setback, not a major recurrence. Because if Reaves is forced to miss significant time, it’s not just the rotation that takes a hit - it’s the Lakers’ ability to stay afloat in a conference where the margin for error is razor thin.