MINNEAPOLIS — After securing a 116-115 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves for the Lakers with a buzzer-beating floater, continuing a strong week of individual play, Austin Reaves made a request when asked about having to lead the team while Luka Doncic and LeBron James – in addition to several other role players – are sidelined.
“Everybody, not just them [Doncic and James],” Reaves said, “please come back.”
It looks like Reaves’ wish could happen as soon as Friday.
Doncic and Marcus Smart could make their returns to the court in Friday’s road game against the Memphis Grizzlies, with both listed as questionable on the Lakers’ Thursday evening injury report.
LeBron James (right sciatica), Maxi Kleber (abdominal muscle strain), Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery) and Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain) remain sidelined.
Doncic missed the past three games – a road win against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday and the win over the Timberwolves – because of a sprained left finger he suffered during the first quarter of an Oct. 24 home victory over the Timberwolves and a lower left leg contusion.
The team announced ahead of the matchup against the Kings that Doncic would be reevaluated in about a week, with Friday being five days since the medical update and a week since he suffered the finger injury.
Coach JJ Redick said ahead of Wednesday’s victory that Doncic’s contusion is “probably” a “day-to-day” thing, and that the swelling on Doncic’s left middle finger has improved.
“The swelling has gone down a little bit,” Redick added. “His finger, it looks like he has 1½ fingers now, and not two. So he’s progressing. And we’re hopeful at some point in the next little bit, next couple games, we’ll have an opportunity to have him back in the lineup.”
The 26-year-old Slovenian star had a pair of outstanding performances to tip off the season: 49 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists against the Timberwolves on Oct. 24, and 43 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and a pair of steals in the season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Smart, the 31-year-old veteran guard the Lakers signed during the offseason, averaged 7.7 points, two assists and a steal in the three games he played (24.7 minutes) before suffering a quadriceps contusion against the Kings.
Reaves stepped up in light of Doncic being sidelined, in addition to the Lakers’ other injuries, averaging 40 points. 10 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals in the three games Doncic missed.
“Even when [Doncic and James are] playing, I put a big responsibility on myself,” Reaves said. “It’s different responsibilities, obviously, because they do so much for our team. But when we don’t have them, the responsibility changes.
“Physically, it’s a little more, but I’m always mentally trying to figure out how I can help with them two and without the two. So it’s definitely different in the sense of how I have to play and how I have to conduct myself.”
Friday will be the first of four NBA Cup Group Play games for the Lakers.
The Lakers’ three other Group Play matchups are at the New Orleans Pelicans on Nov. 14, at home vs. the Clippers on Nov. 25 and at home vs. the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 28.
LAKERS AT GRIZZLIES
When: Friday, 6:30 p.m. PT
Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tenn.
TV/Radio: Amazon Prime Video, Spectrum SportsNet/710 AM
