Dave McMenaminNov 3, 2025, 04:23 PM ET
- Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
- Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are both being held out of the lineup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers announced, one day after the pair played nearly 40 minutes apiece in a 130-120 win over the Miami Heat.
The Lakers are managing Doncic on the second night of a back-to-back after he played 77 total minutes in his last two games following an early return from his leg contusion and a sprained finger on his left hand, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Doncic is listed on the injury report with lower left leg contusion management — the same issue that caused him to miss three games last week. Reaves, who had not missed a game yet this season, is on the injury report with right groin soreness. He played 38 minutes in Sunday’s win.
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L.A. also will not have LeBron James (right sciatica), Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain) and Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery) available in Portland.
Starting center Deandre Ayton, who missed the second half of L.A.’s win in Memphis on Friday and all of the Heat game because of back spasms, is questionable to play, per the team. And backup big man Maxi Kleber, who has been sidelined with an abdominal muscle strain, is questionable to make his season debut in Portland, according to the team.
The Lakers are off to a 5-2 start, the third-best record in the Western Conference, thanks in large part to Doncic and Reaves.
Doncic is averaging 41.3 points on 54.5% shooting, 11.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists, while Reaves is averaging 31.1 points on 48.9%, with 9.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds.
One of L.A.’s two losses came against the Blazers, however. Portland, at 4-2, is No. 4 in the West in the early going.
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