Mavericks refute Redick's claim of MRI error on Lakers' Reaves

The Dallas Mavericks denied making any errors during an MRI for Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, refuting JJ Redick's assertion that their medical staff scanned the wrong area before diagnosing his Grade 2 oblique strain.

"Our medical team followed standard imaging protocols based on the information provided at the time," the Mavericks said in a statement Tuesday, per ESPN. "There was no error in the scan performed."

Although Redick initially criticized the Mavericks' medical staff, he said he wants to move on from the situation after Dallas disputed his allegations.

"I think in the end, we got the image we needed," Redick said in response to the Mavericks' statement, according to The Associated Press. "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."

While in Dallas this past weekend, the Lakers asked the Mavericks to conduct imaging on Reaves, who sustained the oblique injury in the previous game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Redick claimed that Reaves, who will be out for the rest of the season barring a deep playoff run by L.A., needed two MRIs to confirm the diagnosis because Dallas' medical staff initially scanned the wrong area.

"(The mistake was) not on our end," Redick said Saturday. "We made it explicit what was supposed to be scanned, but they scanned the wrong area."

Reaves, 27, wasn't the only marquee Laker injured in Thursday's blowout loss to Oklahoma City. Luka Doncic, the NBA's leading scorer at 33.5 points per game, will also miss the rest of the regular season at minimum after sustaining a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Los Angeles is also without LeBron James for Tuesday's Thunder rematch, with the 22-time All-Star held out due to foot injury management.

Reaves averaged a career-high 22.3 points this season, second on the Lakers behind Doncic, along with 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds. However, the undrafted guard played in just 51 games, missing 18 straight contests earlier this season after straining his left calf in a Christmas Day loss to the Houston Rockets.