There are still some steps left, but Lakers fans can start getting excited about Austin Reaves returning. Reaves has missed all of the postseason so far, but he is now listed as questionable for Game 3 against the Rockets.
He has been doing on-court work, but this is the first time he’s been upgraded to questionable since his last regular-season appearance against the Thunder back in early April.
When it was discovered that Reaves had a Grade 2 oblique strain, the expectation was that he would miss the entire first round of the playoffs. However, entering Game 3, he is now one step closer to making an appearance.
To be clear, questionable doesn’t mean he’ll play, and he can still be downgraded to out later on. Still, it’s a positive development and an encouraging sign for the team. Reaves is, at worst, LA’s second-best player. The Lakers’ ability to win and be successful rises if he can play.
Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game for LA this season, making this a career year for the young guard.
If Reaves does come back this month, it means he recovered even faster than the typical 4-6 weeks it takes to do so from this injury. That would be amazing, but again, he’s not back just yet.
The fact that he’s already being listed as questionable, though, is a good sign that he is progressing well and will return relatively soon. This is a testament to his work ethic and everything the Lakers’ medical staff has done to get him ready for playoff action.
During his absence, the Lakers have done an incredible job of stacking up playoff victories. They are 2-0 entering Game 3, having protected home court in the first two contests.
Still, to continue winning and find postseason success beyond the opening round, the Lakers will need Reaves and Luka Dončić to get healthy and come back.
The good news is that it looks like Reaves is close to doing that, and if LA keeps winning, perhaps Luka will soon be upgraded as well, and the Lakers can have a healthy team at some point during the playoffs.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
