Heading into postseason play, the Los Angeles Lakers had lofty expectations with a three-headed monster in Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Unfortunately, they could not get out of their way and fell in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves on the first round.
Although late regular season play showcased that L.A. could be sneaky championship contenders, having no playable centers truly hindered them. Additionally, Reaves struggled at times offensively after having a breakout regular season for the Lakers.
While he averaged 16.2 points in the first-round series against Minnesota, Reaves only shot 41.1% from the field and 31.9% from 3-point range. However, it looks like a left big toe sprain was a part of the reason for his subpar play:
Can confirm that Austin Reaves was dealing with a left big toe sprain during the Playoffs. Was considered to be a 2-4 week injury but he gutted it out. I'm told Reaves was not walking on it on off days to try to get through the playoffs.
— Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane) May 2, 2025
Reportedly, this injury happened in Game 3 when L.A. lost their first game in Minneapolis. With Doncic suffering a back injury and James suffering a sprained MCL in Game 5, the odds were stacked against them in coming back down 3-1, even if the series was extended.
Injuries are a part of the game and a majority of players in the playoffs are dealing with some sort of ailment. A positive outlook is that by getting eliminated early, this presents about five months to recover and be ready for next season.
Reaves took another leap in his fourth season and even earned votes for the Most Improved Player award, but L.A. needs him to perform in the playoffs consistently as he did early in his career. By receiving extended time to rehab, hopefully, this early exit should motivate him to perform better next year.
Rob Pelinka expresses confidence in Lakers’ trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic & Austin Reaves
After acquiring Luka Doncic in February, it was not a seamless fit with two ball-dominant players in Austin Reaves and LeBron James already on the roster. But all three of them are selfless and displayed a willingness to make this pairing work.
An early playoff exit could prompt skepticism in getting this trio to work, but general manager Rob Pelinka is not losing faith. Ahead of an important offseason expected to have changes, Pelinka expressed confidence in James, Doncic and Reaves leading the charge moving forward.
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