Austin Reaves gives update on ankle injury, expects to play vs. Warriors

After missing the Lakers’ preseason game against the Bucks, Austin Reaves provided an update on his ankle injury and revealed his expectation to play against the Warriors.

Austin Reaves missing a game due to injury has been a rarity in recent years. Dating back to the 2022-23 season, Reaves hasn’t missed a regular season or playoff game since Feb. 7, 2023, a string of 132 consecutive games played.

That makes it notable that Reaves sat out the preseason game against the Bucks with an ankle injury. While it is the preseason and there’s no reason to push things, it is also something to monitor.

On Monday at practice, Reaves provided an update on his injury, revealing that it was just general soreness. While he did not have a concrete update on his status for Tuesday’s game against the Warriors, he did say he had an expectation of playing against Golden State.

The Lakers have a bit of an odd schedule coming up, considering it’s the preseason. Starting Tuesday, the team closes their exhibition slate with three games in four nights, including a road back-to-back in San Francisco and Phoenix.

We know why they're playing on the road. Why they’re scheduling both a back-to-back and three games in four nights is a bit more perplexing.

Because of that, I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays in only one game this week or, at most, two of the remaining three games. There’s no need to push things a week before the regular season starts and everyone knows how much injuries derailed things for the Lakers from the start last season.

In general, the upcoming schedule will probably lead to multiple regular starters sitting out for the Lakers. Tuesday could be one of the last times we see them at full strength before the regular season starts, assuming Reaves is able to play.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.