Lakers' Austin Reaves to miss at least a week with a mild calf strain

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves will miss at least one week with a mildly strained left calf.

Reaves will miss at least the Lakers' next two games, according to the timeline set out by the team Friday.

Reaves is the NBA's ninth-leading scorer this season with 27.8 points per game during a breakout start. The former undrafted free agent has played his way into genuine stardom during his five seasons with the Lakers, and he is earning All-Star buzz this year while forming a prolific backcourt with Luka Doncic, who is averaging 35.0 points.

Reaves is also contributing 6.7 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game for the Lakers, who are off to a 17-7 start despite injury absences for all three of their best players.

LeBron James missed the first 14 games of his unprecedented 23rd NBA season due to sciatica. Doncic has missed six games with minor injury management and a quick trip to Europe for the birth of his second child, while Reaves missed three games earlier this season as well.

The Lakers' next game is at Phoenix on Sunday, and they don't play again until Thursday at Utah.

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