MILWAUKEE — The Lakers won their seventh straight game. They could lose something bigger.
Star guard Austin Reaves left Wednesday’s 123-112 win over the Milwaukee Bucks with a left heel injury and did not return.
Reaves, who scored 18 points with five assists and three steals, landed awkwardly on a blocked dunk attempt during the third quarter but stayed in the game despite appearing to be in discomfort on the bench during an ensuing timeout. He covered his head with a towel on the sideline, but played three more minutes until he eventually subbed himself out during live play.
After center Walker Kessler grabbed a defensive rebound, Reaves staggered to the bench and limped toward the tunnel, forcing the Lakers to call a time out with 5:20 remaining in the third.
The 28-year-old guard just signed a maximum contract extension this summer and was off to a career year. He was averaging 25.3 points on 50.8% shooting from the field, 3.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists. He was shooting a career-best 41.3% from three-point range.
Reaves had missed the Lakers’ previous game against the Atlanta Hawks because of illness.
Despite the absence of their second-leading scorer, the Lakers (11-2) stayed atop the league standings behind 32 points, five assists, five rebounds and three steals from Luka Doncic on Wednesday and a second-consecutive 23-point performance off the bench from Sandro Mamukelashvili.
The Lakers were left digging deep into their rotation to weather the end of a grueling three-game, four-day trip. Guard Quentin Grimes missed his second consecutive game Wednesday with a sprained finger on his right hand. Grimes was questionable for Wednesday’s game, but still had swelling, Redick said, which could have affected the right-handed guard’s shooting.
Guard Collin Sexton left the game with 6:51 remaining after knocking heads with Milwaukee Bucks guard Ryan Rollins. Sexton went to the locker room holding a towel to his forehead.
Doncic came dangerously close to an injury with 4:25 remaining in the fourth when he tweaked his right ankle while getting fouled by Kyle Kuzma on a long jumper. Doncic grabbed at his ankle immediately after he landed and Lakers staff members tended to him while Kuzma’s closeout was challenged for a potential flagrant foul. The foul was not upgraded and Doncic remained in the game to shoot one free throw.
The Lakers subbed him out right after.
Battered and bruised from a tiring rip, the Lakers return home for a brief respite. The Lakers will have multiple days of rest before their next game Sunday at Phoenix. They don’t face a team with a winning record until Nov. 27. The road game in San Antonio figures to be a marquee showdown between Western Conference title contenders.
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