The Los Angeles Lakers have been rolling lately, stacking up wins and climbing the standings. But just when everything was clicking, they got a major scare. In Friday night’s gritty 106-102 win over the Clippers, Austin Reaves—one of the Lakers’ most reliable players all season—suddenly left the game in the first quarter with right calf soreness.

For a team already missing Rui Hachimura and facing a brutal stretch in March, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Reaves had played just nine minutes, scoring six points, before heading straight to the locker room, never to return. The second he walked off, you could feel the anxiety in the arena. Fans were holding their breath. JJ Redick looked worried. Was this just a minor issue, or were the Lakers about to lose Austin Reaves for an extended period?

After hours of uncertainty, Lakers fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

An MRI on Austin Reaves’ right calf showed no serious injury and he’s now day-to-day, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. While his status for Sunday’s rematch against the Clippers remains in question, from bad to worse, this is the best case scenario.

Austin Reaves stands as the most vital player for this team at present. His current playing performance represents his best professional season with averages of 19.2 points along with 4.2 assists per game. The system implemented by JJ Redick has fostered tremendous growth in his game while making him resemble the Lakers’ most potent performer throughout stretches of action. The early-game injury felt like a major turning point because it could affect the entire season direction.

The good news? Austin Reaves isn’t seriously hurt. The bad news? That doesn’t mean he’s playing right away. The Lakers will be extra cautious, which means there’s a real chance he misses Sunday’s game and maybe even Tuesday’s matchup against the Pelicans.

The Lakers are already shorthanded. Left patellar tendinopathy or jumper’s knee sidelines Rui Hachimura. Apparently he has dealt with it for a while but now he’s out for a few games. Knee injuries and they are tricky and even after a week’s rest he’s not back to 100%.

The other role players will have to step it up if both Austin Reaves and Hachimura miss time. With March looking to be a particularly savage month, they can’t allow themselves to slow down as the team has been red-hot, winning 17 of their last 21 games.

How did the Lakers perform without Austin Reaves vs Clippers?

Despite Austin Reaves missing most of the game, the Lakers managed to pull a victory out. This was not just any win, it was one of instant classic.

On Luka Doncic‘s 26th birthday, he first went off for 31 points before taking off for 10 in the fourth quarter to secure the Lakers win.

However, there’s always LeBron James, who is just phenomenal and not going anywhere, as proven again with an easily achieved 28 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists. It’s crazy how good he’s still at this point.

Meanwhile, the Clippers struggled. James Harden had a nightmare: 5-for-22 from the field, 1-for-10 from deep. It was a brutal kind of shooting night.

But the real drama? A controversial foul call on Kawhi Leonard with 25.1 seconds left. Initially, it looked like the Lakers were getting the call, but after review? Overturned. The refs called it “marginal contact,” and let’s just say—LeBron was NOT happy. He made his feelings very clear on social media afterward.

Even with the win, the Lakers’ position in the standings is tight. They’re currently fourth in the West, just half a game behind Memphis for third and one game behind Denver for second. With a brutal March schedule ahead, every single game counts.

LeBron summed it up best: “We’re in a good place, but we’re not comfortable at all,” he said. “We haven’t played our best game we’re capable of playing, honestly. We have a couple of injuries and things we need to attend to as well.“

For now, the Lakers dodged a bullet with Austin Reaves. But staying healthy is going to be the key. With so many tough matchups ahead, they can’t afford to lose him again.

If Austin Reaves can stay on the floor, and the Lakers keep winning? This team is going to be dangerous when the playoffs come around.