Austin Reaves will return to the Los Angeles Lakers lineup tonight after missing the last four weeks with an oblique strain.
The injury, which he suffered in the Lakers loss in Oklahoma City earlier this month, was believed to carry a four to six week recovery timetable.
The Lakers ruled Reaves in after his pregame workout prior to Game 5. He was listed as questionable, just like he was before Games 3 and 4 of the series.
Reaves’ return comes at a time when the Lakers desperately need extra ballhandling help. The Lakers committed 24 turnovers in Game 4 in Houston, the Rockets continuing to push the Lakers out of their offensive rhythm.
{“endpoint”:”https://api-prd-nyt.theathletic.com/graphql”}
With Luka Dončić still recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring strain, the Lakers will welcome Reaves’ 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Advertisement
The Lakers, like they did when Reaves returned from a calf injury earlier this season, will bring him off the bench in his return from the extended absence.
“If he is able to go, we just want Austin to be Austin. That’s the biggest thing,” JJ Redick said of Reaves pregame. “I think as the series has gone on, their pressure and physicality have just increased every game, and ball handling has been important for us all series, so he would certainly help there.”
The Lakers lead the series 3-1, but Redick said he told Reaves to not consider anything in regards to the series when deciding whether he was confident enough in his body to return.