Luka Doncic was ruled out ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Wednesday night clash against the Minnesota Timberwolves, marking the third game his left finger sprain and lower left leg contusion have forced him to miss.
While speaking to reporters, JJ Redick gave an update on Doncic’s current status that should appease the Lakers’ 27-year-old star, Austin Reaves.
“Redick said the team hopes to have him (Doncic) back sometime in the “next couple of games,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported on X/Twitter.
“He said the sprained finger on Doncic’s left hand has gone from double its normal size to 1.5x its normal size, so that is progress. Said Doncic remains day to day. LAL plays Memphis on Friday, and Doncic is not currently on the trip with the team.”
Why is Redick’s update good news for Reaves?
The Oklahoma product eventually wants to receive the lucrative contract he feels he deserves, and with Doncic still out, he’ll get to help his case by not only continuing to have the ball in his hands 24/7 on the perimeter but also proving that his Herculean efforts can lead to victories for the severely shorthanded franchise.
At the same time, Reaves can exhale knowing that help is on the way, and he won’t be tasked with doing it all offensively for an entire season.
Reaves and Doncic are the Lakers’ top-2 scorers thus far, as they’re averaging 46.0 and 35.8 points per game, respectively.
Doncic will soon rejoin Reaves in Los Angeles’ dynamic backcourt.
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