Lakers' Luka Doncic says he's fine after right ankle scare in win at Milwaukee
Luka Doncic rolled his right ankle late in the Lakers' 123-112 win at Milwaukee. He and JJ Redick called it minor. Austin Reaves will get imaging on his heel.
The Lakers' seventh straight win came with a scare. Luka Doncic went down holding his right ankle late in Wednesday's 123-112 win over the Bucks in Milwaukee. Afterward, both Doncic and coach JJ Redick played it down, and it looks like a tweak rather than a setback.
The injury came on a stepback jumper over former Laker Kyle Kuzma. According to USA TODAY Sports, the ankle turned as soon as Doncic landed. He fell, grabbed at his leg and slid over to the scorer's table to collect himself. The shot was first ruled a three and later changed to a long two. Doncic got up, made the free throw for the and-one, and then Redick pulled the whole lineup with the Lakers up 24 and 4:25 left. Doncic walked straight toward the locker room.
After the game he sounded unconcerned. "Obviously it's painful a little bit, but I'll be fine," Doncic said, according to NY Post Sports. Redick called it a light tweak. Doncic finished with 32 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in 32 minutes. The Post reported that he came into the night leading the league at 39.3 points per game, along with 7.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists.
The bigger worry from the night may be Austin Reaves. He hurt his left heel on a dunk attempt midway through the third quarter, took himself out with 5:20 left in the period and did not return. Redick said Reaves' X-rays were negative and that he would have imaging Thursday. Collin Sexton also needed stitches near his temple after a head-to-head collision in the fourth quarter. Sports Illustrated noted that Doncic stayed in to shoot his free throws before checking out, which suggested the ankle was holding up.
What it means for Sunday in Phoenix
The schedule helps. The Lakers do not play again until Sunday, November 15, at Phoenix, which gives Doncic and Reaves three days off before tipoff. If Doncic plays, the Lakers have their engine. If Reaves' imaging shows more than a bruise, they would be missing one of their two main ball handlers on a road trip.
The Lakers have handled games like this well so far. At 11-2, they have the best record in the league, and they have won seven in a row since a 112-95 loss at Golden State. Over the streak they have averaged about 125 points and given up about 115. Their margin in that stretch was never smaller than five points (a 121-116 win at Detroit), and they topped 120 points in six of the seven games. Away from Crypto.com Arena they are 6-1, with wins at Milwaukee, Atlanta, Detroit, Sacramento, Utah and the Clippers.
For the season, Los Angeles is scoring about 122 points a game and allowing about 114. Most of that has been built around Doncic carrying the offense, so his status will shape the Suns game more than anything else. Doncic's own assessment and the three days off point toward him playing. The Reaves imaging is the update to watch before the team announces its lineup. Full season results are on the Lakers team page.