April 5, 2026, 6:21 a.m. ET<\/p>\n
\nKhobi Price: \u201cThe second [MRI] was today. Again, I don’t know where the chain of command lies with Dallas imaging, but uh they scanned the wrong area. Not on our end. We made it explicit what was supposed to be scanned but they scanned the wrong area.” JJ Redick on Austin Reaves’ MRI<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
More on Austin Reaves: Recent HoopsHype Rumors<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMichael Scotto: Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and will be out for the remainder of the regular season<\/a> \u2014 4\/4\/2026 Twitter @MikeAScotto<\/a><\/p>\n
Shams Charania: Lakers’ Austin Reaves is expected to miss four to six weeks with the Grade 2 oblique injury,<\/a> sources tell ESPN. Devastating run of injuries to L.A.’s two leading scorers. Reaves and Luka Doncic are expected to be sidelined to begin the NBA playoffs. \u2014 4\/4\/2026 Twitter @ShamsCharania<\/a><\/p>\n
Mike Trudell: After Saturday\u2019s practice, JJ Redick said the Lakers are going to have to play a bit differently from a strategic standpoint without Luka Doncic, who was obviously doing so much<\/a>. Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart are also both dealing with injuries, and their status is uncertain for tomorrow\u2019s game. \u2014 4\/4\/2026 Twitter @LakersReporter<\/a><\/p>\n
Dan Woike: Austin Reaves received imaging on his rib\/oblique.<\/a> Lakers are awaiting results. Status is TBD \u2014 4\/4\/2026 Twitter @DanWoikeSports<\/a><\/p>\n
Austin Reaves added a new injury of his own Thursday. After overextending for a loose ball during the first quarter, he immediately grabbed his left side and went to the locker room for treatment, and returned in the second quarter. And whenever he strained to make a play, whether it be a full-court pass, a 3-point shot or even some lateral defensive movement, his left hand reached for his back. \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d Reaves said<\/a>. \u2014 4\/3\/2026 New York Times<\/a><\/p>\n
Fullcourtpass: Austin Reaves went OFF on a Thunder fan who was heckling an injured Luka<\/a> \u201cHAVE SOME FU*KING RESPECT\u2026 HAVE SOME RESPECT\u201d (Via @AllenThadd15020) \u2014 4\/3\/2026 Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n
And as hot as Doncic and the Lakers were in March,\u00a0Shai Gilgeous-Alexander\u00a0and the Thunder went 14-1, with the reigning MVP averaging 30.7 points on 56.8% shooting and 6.6 assists for the month. “Very exciting [matchup],” Lakers guard\u00a0Austin Reaves\u00a0said. “Obviously they’re the defending champs. Playing at a high level, obviously one of the best teams in the league, if not the best team. And we have an opportunity to go into OKC and battle them.”<\/a> \u2014 4\/1\/2026 ESPN<\/a><\/p>\n
NBA Communications: Other nominees\u2026<\/a> West: Luka Donc\u030cic\u0301 and Austin Reaves (LAL), Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard (LAC), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC), Jamal Murray (DEN), Alperen Sengun (HOU) and Victor Wembanyama (SAS) East: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ATL), Scottie Barnes (TOR), Jalen Brunson (NYK), Jalen Duren (DET), James Harden (CLE) and Payton Pritchard (BOS) \u2014 3\/30\/2026 Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n
Dave McMenamin: Bronny James: \u201cThe last time I played [LeBron] 1-on-1 – I don\u2019t know if this story came out – but he broke a backboard at our house in Miami\u201d<\/a> Austin Reaves, at the next locker: \u201cIt was \u2018cause you won?\u201d Bronny: *Nods yes* AR: \u201cYeahhh! You can say that. Don\u2019t leave that out!\u201d \u2014 3\/28\/2026 Twitter @mcten<\/a><\/p>\n
Austin Reaves: \u201cI mean, I always had delusional confidence. The weirdest story was, like I said, I\u2019m from a town of a thousand people, so there\u2019s nothing to do. You hunt, you fish, you do all the country stuff. I remember my mom\u2019s best friend at the time took me hunting one day, and we were sitting there talking. I was probably nine years old, and she asked me, \u2018What do you want to do when you get older?\u2019 And I said, \u2018Oh, I want to play in the NBA.\u2019 And she was like, \u2018You mean the MLB?\u2019 And I said, \u2018No, I want to play in the NBA.\u2019 And she thought it was the craziest thing, because I played, but I didn\u2019t really actually play like that yet<\/a>. But when it really came to reality, I was at Oklahoma, and Lon Kruger followed me out of practice one day and told me, \u2018I think you could be a first-round pick.\u2019 And, you know, he\u2019s been around basketball forever. So once he said that, I was like, \u2018Oh, I\u2019ve got a chance.\u2019\u201d \u2014 3\/24\/2026 YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
What NBA media is saying<\/p>\n
\nLaw Murray \ud83d\udcd8<\/strong> (@lawmurraythenu.bsky.social<\/a>): Turns out that April 2, 2026 saw the Los Angeles Lakers lose their two leading scorers to multi-week\/season-threatening injuries in the same game (Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves) JJ Redick has been there before. April 25, 2016: LA Clippers lose Blake Griffin and Chris Paul in PDX. \u2014 5\/4\/2026, 0:49:33 View post<\/a><\/p>\n
Ryan Eichten<\/strong> (@reichten.bsky.social<\/a>): Looking at Denver’s schedule, there’s a chance they win out given OKC and SA could be locked into their seeds. If they do, can LA go 4-1 to hold them off without Luka or Reaves? Wolves going 6-8 in their last 14 games looms incredibly large if an injured Lakers team falls to 4th \u2014 5\/4\/2026, 0:36:36 View post<\/a><\/p>\n
Kurt Helin<\/strong> (@basketballtalk.bsky.social<\/a>): Lakers’ Austin Reaves suffers Grade 2 oblique strain, out for remainder of season, at least This comes 24 hours after the news of Luka Doncic’s Grade 2 hamstring strain. Both of the Lakers’ stars are very likely to miss the start of the playoffs. www.nbcsports.com\/nba\/news\/lak…<\/a> \u2014 5\/4\/2026, 0:11:08 View post<\/a><\/p>\n
Law Murray \ud83d\udcd8<\/strong> (@lawmurraythenu.bsky.social<\/a>): Marcus Smart remains out. Hasn’t played in two weeks due to right ankle contusion. Jarred Vanderbilt is also questionable for Sunday at Dallas due to right calf soreness In addition to Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) dealing with Grade 2 strains \u2014 5\/4\/2026, 0:10:17 View post<\/a><\/p>\n
Law Murray \ud83d\udcd8<\/strong> (@lawmurraythenu.bsky.social<\/a>): Some oblique timetables, RE: Austin Reaves Joel Embiid just came back after missing 27 days Maxi Kleber missed the first 18 days of this season Marcus Smart in April 2019 had oblique injury, out 29 days Emeka Okafor in Feb. 2011 had a grade 2 oblique injury, was out 25 days \u2014 4\/4\/2026, 23:20:59 View post<\/a><\/p>\n
Chris Hine<\/strong> (@christopherhine.bsky.social<\/a>): Gonna be fascinating watching how the seeding in the West plays out. Kneejerk reaction is to say Denver takes the 3 seed with Reaves\/Luka out. But if Denver loses today, they’re 2 back in loss column of Lakers, who hold the tiebreaker. DEN still has Spurs again and OKC left. \u2014 4\/4\/2026, 23:18:15 View post<\/a><\/p>\n
LakersNation.com<\/strong> (@lakersnation.bsky.social<\/a>): BREAKING: #Lakers will be without Austin Reaves for the remainder of the regular season. lakersnation.com\/lakers-injur…<\/a> \u2014 4\/4\/2026, 23:18:07 View post<\/a><\/p>\n
Shams Charania Tweets<\/strong> (@shamsbot.bsky.social<\/a>): Lakers’ Austin Reaves is expected to miss four to six weeks with the Grade 2 oblique injury, sources tell ESPN. Devastating run of injuries to L.A.’s two leading scorers. Reaves and Luka Doncic are expected to be sidelined to begin the NBA playoffs. \u2014 4\/4\/2026, 23:15:22 View post<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n