Austin Reaves exited with a left heel injury during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 123-112 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, capping a rough night of health scares for the franchise’s rotation.
The win moves the Lakers to an NBA-best 11-2 start and extends their winning streak to seven games. Alongside Reaves, Luka Dončić and Collin Sexton both experienced second-half injury scares that required attention from medical staff.
JJ Redick says X-rays were negative for Reaves. No further update on him until he receives medical imaging back in Los Angeles on Thursday pic.twitter.com/IGC96HuoN8
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Reaves’ status for upcoming fixtures depends entirely on Thursday’s medical imaging in Los Angeles, opening short-term minutes for backcourt depth pieces.
- Sexton required stitches above his right eye following an accidental headbutt, which could temporarily alter rotation patterns on the perimeter.
Reaves sustained his injury while attempting to score on a contested fast-break dunk in the third quarter according to The New York Times. He limped back on defense and subbed himself out shortly after, finishing with 18 points, five assists, and three steals in 25 minutes of action as reported by NBA.com.
“No update on AR until we'll have imaging tomorrow,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said, and X-rays taken at the arena were negative for fractures, and Redick ruled out any concerns regarding the Achilles tendon according to Yahoo Sports. Reaves is scheduled for further imaging once the team returns to Los Angeles.
JJ Redick told reporters that had Collin Sexton not exited the game early, he would've been on the floor instead of Luka Doncic when Doncic suffered his ankle injury late in the game.
“I think we just got to have next-man-up mentality,” Dončić said, as quoted by ESPN. “Obviously, we lose a very, very good player. Hopefully it’s not — it’s nothing. We got to have next-man-up mentality.”
Dončić also gave the team a scare in the fourth quarter when he rolled his right ankle landing on Kyle Kuzma’s foot after drawing a foul on a long jump shot. He finished the game with 32 points before heading to the locker room.
LUKA MAGIC LEADS LAKERS TO 7TH WIN IN A ROW! ✨ 32 PTS ✨ 5 REB ✨ 5 AST ✨ 5 3PM Nine straight games of 30+ PTS, 5+ REB, and 5+ AST for @lukadoncic… one away from the longest streak of its kind in NBA history! pic.twitter.com/pWAX1yfKyY
“I’m good,” Dončić said, according to ESPN. “Obviously painful a little bit, but I’ll be fine.”
Redick classified Dončić’s issue as a tweak, and the superstar guard has otherwise remained largely healthy to open the 2026-27 campaign outside of a single missed game due to lower-back tightness.
| Player | Points | Assists | Status / Injury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Dončić | 32 | 5 | Right ankle tweak (Expected fine) |
| Austin Reaves | 18 | 5 | Left heel injury (Awaiting imaging) |
| Collin Sexton | – | – | Right eye cut / Stitches (Headbutt) |
The physical attrition did not stop with the starting backcourt. Backup guard Collin Sexton collided heads with Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins with 6:51 remaining in the fourth quarter, forcing him to leave the floor to receive multiple stitches above his right eye.
The Lakers were already playing without Quentin Grimes, who missed his second straight contest due to swelling in his injured shooting-hand pinkie finger sustained in a win against Detroit.
New story: The Lakers ran their win streak to seven by beating the Bucks, but Austin Reaves’ injury news looms over the outcome https://t.co/t2XD2wUNDO
The schedule offers a brief window for recovery. Los Angeles does not play again until a road matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.
Luka Doncic on Austin Reaves’ left heel injury: “I think we just got to have next-man-up mentality. Obviously, we lose a very, very good player. Hopefully it’s not – it’s nothing. We got to have next-man-up mentality” pic.twitter.com/Cw7bxxlDc1
