Austin Reaves is optimistic he can return for the Lakers in Game 5 against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, though Los Angeles coach JJ Redick said the guard will be a game-time decision for the third consecutive contest.
Reaves, who has missed about four weeks with a Grade 2 oblique strain, said Tuesday that he feels good and is moving in the right direction. He has not played since April 2, when he suffered the injury against the Oklahoma City Thunder and finished with 15 points.
If Reaves is cleared, any minutes restriction would be decided closer to tipoff. The Lakers host Game 5 at 10 p.m. ET on with a 3-1 series lead and a chance to advance to the second round.
The return would matter because Reaves was one of Los Angeles' most productive players during the regular season, averaging 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 49% from the field and 36% from 3-point range. He missed the final five games of the regular season and the first four playoff games against Houston, leaving the Lakers to manage the series without one of their most reliable creators.
Redick kept the decision narrow on Tuesday, saying the call will be based on whether Reaves is good to go and that the team will talk through the possibility of any restriction. Reaves said his rehab over the past one to two weeks has moved from one-on-one work to larger group scrimmages, a sign he is nearing full clearance.
He also said he had a sense early that the injury was serious, adding that when something bothers him it is usually a sign something is wrong. Still, he said the message from the team was clear from the day of the injury: everyone would work together to give the Lakers a chance to get back on the court, and he said the club has done exactly that.
Los Angeles remains without Luka Doncic, who is recovering from a hamstring injury suffered April 2, giving the Lakers an added reason to welcome Reaves back if he is ready. Houston, meanwhile, has dealt with its own absences from Kevin Durant, who missed Game 1 with a right knee contusion, then suffered a left ankle sprain and bone bruise in Game 2 and sat out Games 3 and 4; he is expected to miss Game 5 as well.
Reaves said watching from the sideline has been enjoyable because of the team’s determination, togetherness and commitment to competing on every possession. For a Lakers team one win from the second round, his return would not just be a boost in numbers. It would be another sign that the group entering Wednesday night is getting closer to whole at the right moment.
