Austin Reaves injured as Lakers win seventh in a row
Los Angeles Times

Austin Reaves injured as Lakers win seventh in a row

Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times | November 12, 2026

MILWAUKEE — The Los Angeles Lakers won their seventh straight game. They could lose something bigger. Star guard Austin Reaves left Wednesday’s 123-112 win over the Milwaukee Bucks with a left heel injury and did not return. Reaves, who scored 18 points with five assists and three steals, landed awkwardly on a blocked dunk attempt during the third quarter but stayed in the game despite ...

The Milwaukee Bucks' Jaime Jaquez Jr. goes to the basket against the Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves in the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee.

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images North America/TNS


MILWAUKEE — The Los Angeles Lakers won their seventh straight game. They could lose something bigger.

Star guard Austin Reaves left Wednesday’s 123-112 win over the Milwaukee Bucks with a left heel injury and did not return.

Reaves, who scored 18 points with five assists and three steals, landed awkwardly on a blocked dunk attempt during the third quarter but stayed in the game despite appearing to be in discomfort on the bench during an ensuing timeout. He covered his head with a towel on the sideline, but played three more minutes until he eventually subbed himself out during live play.

After center Walker Kessler grabbed a defensive rebound, Reaves staggered to the bench and limped toward the tunnel, forcing the Lakers to call a time out with 5:20 remaining in the third.

The 28-year-old guard just signed a maximum contract extension this summer and was off to a career year. He was averaging 25.3 points on 50.8% shooting from the field, 3.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists. He was shooting a career-best 41.3% from 3-point range.

Reaves had missed the Lakers’ previous game against the Atlanta Hawks because of illness.

Despite the absence of their second-leading scorer, the Lakers (11-2) stayed atop the league standings behind 32 points, five assists, five rebounds and three steals from Luka Doncic on Wednesday and a second-consecutive 23-point performance off the bench from Sandro Mamukelashvili.

The Lakers were left digging deep into their rotation to weather the end of a grueling three-game, four-day trip. Guard Quentin Grimes missed his second consecutive game Wednesday with a sprained finger on his right hand. Grimes was questionable for Wednesday’s game, but still had swelling, Redick said, which could have affected the right-handed guard’s shooting.

Guard Collin Sexton left the game with 6:51 remaining after knocking heads with Bucks guard Ryan Rollins. Sexton went to the locker room holding a towel to his forehead.

Doncic came dangerously close to an injury with 4:25 remaining in the fourth when he tweaked his right ankle while getting fouled by Kyle Kuzma on a long jumper. Doncic grabbed at his ankle immediately after he landed and Lakers staff members tended to him while Kuzma’s closeout was challenged for a potential flagrant foul. The foul was not upgraded and Doncic remained in the game to shoot one free throw.

The Lakers subbed him out right after.

Battered and bruised from a tiring rip, the Lakers return home for a brief respite. The Lakers will have multiple days of rest before their next game Sunday at Phoenix. They don’t face a team with a winning record until Nov. 27. The road game in San Antonio figures to be a marquee showdown between Western Conference title contenders.

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