Austin Reaves provides massive injury update after brutal-looking ankle issue 

LA Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves sustained a seemingly severe right ankle turn during Thursday's last-second 119-117 road loss to the Chicago Bulls. However, the rising star remained in the contest, highlighting his determination to fight through the setback during his postgame interview.

Reaves rolled his ankle with 6:04 remaining in the fourth quarter while driving to the basket on Bulls wing Dalen Terry. He immediately collapsed to the floor in apparent pain. The ailment came after he tweaked the same ankle the night before during Wednesday's 120-119 road win over the Indiana Pacers.

While Reaves' night could've been over, he stayed in the game and came up clutch. The undrafted guard converted a go-ahead layup to give the Lakers a 117-116 lead with 3.3 seconds remaining.

Unfortunately for Reaves, his team couldn't close out the victory, allowing Bulls point guard Josh Giddey a straight-line half-court game-winner.

After LA's buzzer-beating defeat, Reaves underscored his desire to persevere through his injury and help his squad compete.

"Just wanted to be there for my teammates," Reaves said. "It's not the first time I've rolled my ankle, it won't be the last. I like playing."

Based on Reaves' comments, he appears willing to continue suiting up over the Lakers' final nine outings. However, if his ankle flares up, the team could take a cautious approach with the playoffs fast approaching.

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Austin Reaves delivers game-high 30-point performance on bad ankle

Besides his late-game go-ahead basket, Austin Reaves finished Thursday's loss with a game-high 30 points on 10-for-17 shooting (58.8%). He did so after tallying 24 points on 8-for-16 shooting (50%) during Wednesday's victory, capping off a strong back-to-back set on a bad ankle.

Reaves' latest effort marked his seventh 30-point outing of the season as he continues to blossom into a bona fide tertiary scoring option for LA.

The Lakers (44-29) conclude their four-game road trip on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies (44-29). The teams are tied for the Western Conference's fourth seed, with LA holding a 2-1 edge in their season series.

Thus, Reaves may have extra incentive to push through his ankle ailment to help his squad battle for home-court advantage in the playoffs' first round.

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