The Lakers appeared to have dodged an injury bullet regarding Luka Dončić.
In the closing minutes against the Warriors, Luka seemed to have potentially suffered an injury, though he said it was “probably nothing” postgame.
Since that contest, Los Angeles has had a pair of practices and he has been able to participate fully, indicating he’ll be ready to go for the Lakers’ game against the Wolves on Friday.
Austin Reaves, however, does have a slight injury concern.
After Thursday’s practice, head coach
JJ Redick said Reaves tweaked his ankle and was a modified participant in practice, missing the live full-team portion. Redick was optimistic Reaves would play against Minnesota.
Given Redick’s sentiment, it seems likely Reaves will play. He is known as a very tough player who is often available. In the 2023-24 season, he played all 82 regular season games, plus the In-Season Tournament final as well as the playoffs.
Luka being okay is a huge relief for the Lakers. With LeBron James out, they need all the offensive help Luka can give them and that still might not be enough. Dončić had 43 points against the Warriors, but Golden State still easily won.
If Reaves is also available, then the Lakers will be as healthy as they realistically can be for this matchup.
It may just be the second game of the year, but with the Western Conference expected to be as tight as ever, each win matters. Having both Reaves and Luka healthy in LeBron’s absence is imperative to the Lakers’ hopes of winning.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
