Austin Reaves Cleared To Return For Game 5 Vs. Rockets

You can never doubt Austin Reaves’ heart.

After an initial recovery timeline that would have him out 4-6 weeks, Reaves returned to the court last week and will return to the lineup just under a month after suffering his injury, joining the Lakers for Game 5 against the Rockets on Wednesday.

As has been the case, Reaves was a gametime decision for Game 5. In both Game 3 and Game 4, Reaves went through pregame warm-ups before being ruled out. On Wednesday, he went through pregame warm-ups and was ruled available.

In the days leading up to Game 5, it became more and more clear that Reaves was likely to make his return. The Lakers came into the playoffs not expecting Reaves or Luka Dončić to play in the opening round. While Luka is no closer to returning, they’ve at least gotten back one of their best players in Austin.

It took multiple weeks and the Lakers had to win some playoff games without him, but Austin Reaves will be joining the team for competitive matchups once again.

Now, he is back, giving the Lakers a huge injection of offensive firepower. He averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game this season. His rebounding and scoring totals are career-highs for the five-year guard.

It’s been nearly a month since Reaves has played in a Lakers game. He suffered his injury during a loss against the Thunder. Afterward, his MRI confirmed that he had a Grade 2 oblique strain, and the projected recovery period was 4-6 weeks.

The Lakers have found plenty of playoff success in Reaves’ absence. They’ve been able to survive and extend their season in time for him to come back, which was a goal Lakers head coach JJ Redick established before the postseason began.

Despite the Lakers’ short-term success, long-term wins will only come with Reaves on the floor. Shockingly, that is coming perhaps sooner than expected.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.