Lakers’ Austin Reaves considered day-to-day with heel injury
On the day the Lakers hosted their annual Thanksgiving Feast event to kick off their “Season of Giving” at the team’s practice facility, they were able to give some thanks for dodging serious injuries.
Austin Reaves didn’t have to get further imaging on his injured left heel, coach JJ Redick said after practice Friday, and the star guard will be listed as day-to-day for Sunday’s game at Phoenix.
Redick also said that All-Star guard Luka Doncic was “fine” after injuring his ankle in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, that a concussion was ruled out for guard Collin Sexton after he received stitches to his forehead following a collision with Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins, and that guard Quentin Grimes worked out in the stay-ready-game against coaches after missing two games because of a finger injury.
Reaves left Wednesday’s win in the third quarter and didn’t return. His X-rays after the game were negative and by Thursday morning, when the team had returned to L.A. after winning the first three of the four-game trip, Reaves felt well enough that he and team personnel opted against getting more imaging.
Redick said Reaves has a bruise on his heel and described it as “minor.”
Doncic, who leads the NBA in scoring (38.6 points) and is ninth in assists (7.6), is doing OK after he injured his right ankle in the fourth quarter Wednesday.
“The expectation would be he’s available,” Redick said.
Sexton had to get stitches above his right eye after the collision with 6:51 left in the fourth quarter Wednesday.
Redick said Sexton also will be day-to-day.
Lakers guard Collin Sexton, preparing to defend Hawks guard Kingston Flemings, is listed as day-to-day after getting stitches above his right eye following a collision during a win over the Bucks.
(Mike Stewart / Associated Press)
Grimes, who missed two games because of a sprained finger on his right hand, participated in the live portion of the stay-ready game Wednesday and expects to play Sunday. Grimes wore a wrap on his right pinky finger while speaking with reporters.
“I had a really good day just playing with a little tape over it,” Grimes said. “Just seeing how it felt the first time, but it felt really good. We got a lot of wins out there in them games, at least. But it felt really good out there.”
The Lakers will have three days off before they play again Sunday to Phoenix.
Even though the Lakers have the best record in the NBA (11-2), are the top scoring team (122.2 points) in the league and rank first in offensive rating (121.6), Redick wanted to let his group know there is room for improvement.
During the film session Friday he told his team they “were 17th in defense” rating at 113.6. And the Lakers are 27th in rebounding.
Redick said he and his staff talked about “20 things” that they can clean up.
“We filtered through our offensive stuff based on our identities of who we want to be offensively: organized, unselfish and advantage-based,” Redick said. “Then we went through the stats on that.
“Then we went to our defense and our three identities: organized, physical as hell and relentless. And we went through the stats on those things. So, it’s a very clean thing. We’ve done that for the last 2½ seasons. It’s just everything that we present to the team lines up with who we’re trying to be.”
Redick got his message through to his players.
“Being first in the West, with the stuff that they showed us, you would think we were almost last, you know?” forward Ziaire Williams said. “But it’s gotta keep us honest. But you know, it’s good to know that there’s still room for growth as good as we’re doing. So yeah, it was great, it was great. So yeah, hopefully we’ll clean that up going into the next game against Phoenix.”