The Dallas Mavericks have disputed claims made by Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick regarding an MRI scan of Lakers guard Austin Reaves.
Redick had suggested the Mavericks’ medical team scanned the wrong part of Reaves’ body over the weekend. The Mavericks issued a statement refuting this.
“Our medical team followed standard imaging protocols based on the information provided at the time,” the Mavericks said, in a statement first issued to DLLS Sports on Tuesday and later provided to ESPN. “There was no error in the scan performed.”
Redick’s Initial Accusation
Redick’s initial comments followed the Lakers’ practice at Southern Methodist University’s campus in Dallas on Saturday. He stated that Reaves required two MRIs to diagnose a Grade 2 left oblique strain. Redick also faulted the Mavs for their execution of the initial scan.
“I don’t know where the chain of command lies with Dallas imaging, but they scanned the wrong area,” Redick said. “So [the mistake was] not on our end. We made it explicit what was supposed to be scanned, but they scanned the wrong area.”
When asked by ESPN about the events surrounding the MRI, a Lakers spokesperson declined to comment on Tuesday.
Redick Changes His Tone
Before L.A. played the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, Redick altered his stance when asked to explain his accusation.
“In the end, we got the image we needed,” Redick said. “And obviously very appreciative, because it’s happened throughout the season whenever the home team is accommodating to us, just like we would be for them. And we’re going to move on.”
Reaves’ Injury and Lakers’ Playoff Picture
Reaves sustained the injury during the first half of the Lakers’ 139-96 loss to the Thunder last Thursday. Despite the injury, he returned to the game, finishing with a team-high 15 points in 27 minutes.
The Lakers have not announced a specific return date for Reaves, only stating he will be out for the remainder of the regular season. However, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that Reaves is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks.
L.A. (50-28) currently holds the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with four games remaining. They trail the No. 3 Denver Nuggets by a half-game but hold the tiebreaker over Denver by winning the season series.
The Lakers are scheduled to play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. They then face the Golden State Warriors on the road on Thursday and the Phoenix Suns at home on Friday. The regular-season schedule concludes at home against the Utah Jazz on Sunday.