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What happened to Austin Reaves? Live injury updates for Rockets vs. Lakers on Thursday 12/25/25

What happened to Austin Reaves? Live injury updates for Rockets vs. Lakers on Thursday 12/25/25

Los Angeles Lakers NBA

Updated:

By: Stan Son

UPDATE: Reaves has been diagnosed with a grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain and will be re-evaluated in approximately four weeks.

Austin Reaves played 15 minutes during the first half of Thursday’s game against the Houston Rockets. Coming out of halftime, though, Reaves remained in the locker room with Marcus Smart taking his place. It has now been announced that Reaves will not return due to left calf soreness. There’s been no mention of when the injury occurred.

Prior to exiting, Reaves contributed 12 points, a rebound, an assist and a block.

Reaves just returned from a three-game absence due to a calf injury, so this is not a good development. Smart would likely continue starting while Luka Doncic and LeBron James would soak up most of the vacated usage.

The Lakers next play on Sunday, then Tuesday, then Friday. All of those games are at home.

Stan Son
Stan joined DraftKings in December of 2020. It was a glorious time, except for that whole COVID thing, when we got Madden streams and boisterous bat flips from the KBO. I was brought on board to bring some West Coast flavor. I especially love hoops, and most of my content is in that arena. When I walk along the beach, strumming my guitar, the beat that I hear is not one of crashing waves. No, it is the beat of the ball bouncing off the hardwood with highs provided by the squeaks of the sneakers. Ball is life.
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