Austin Reaves Injury Update: Is The NBA Star Playing In Game 5 Against The Rockets?

Austin Reaves remains indisposed as the Los Angeles Lakers guard continues to recuperate from a Grade 2 oblique sprain he suffered towards the end of the regular season. However, the status of Reaves has been curiously upgraded to questionable in LA's last two games, potentially a sign that he will be back in harness soon.

Despite his and Luka Dončić's absence, the Lakers have found a way to win against the Rockets. LeBron James has unsurprisingly stepped up and has gotten needed help from players like Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton.

But with the Rockets discovering newfound energy following their Game 4 win, will the Lakers finally place Reaves on the active roster before Game 5? With several days to go, that is a high probability.

Some pundits also believe that the chances of Austin Reaves returning in Game 5 are high. One of them is NBA insider Brett Siegel, pointing out the significant progress the Lakers guard has been showing in recent weeks.

'I would tend to believe the Lakers are feeling better about Austin Reaves' chances of being available for Game 5 in LA on Wednesday,' Siegel posted on X. 'He has not had any setbacks over the last week, as the team has been comfortable easing him and not rushing him back with how this series has gone.'

Lakers Won't Force Reaves Back

While Siegel's observations should be good news for Lakers fans, the question is whether the Purple and Gold need the 6-foot-5 guard to finish off the Rockets. The Game 4 loss was unfortunate although the Lakers were partly to blame.

Moreover, the Lakers had 24 turnovers in that game, eight coming from James himself. 'The King' admitted that he was partly to blame although he didn't hold back on officiating.

Setting aside the Game 4 loss, the first three games saw a Lakers team proving they could get the job done even without Dončić and Reaves. Also, the Lakers are taking the wise approach of not rushing either player back into action.

For those who may be unaware, an oblique sprain normally requires four to six weeks of rest plus physical therapy. By Game 5, Reaves will reach the four-week minimum required to recover, although holding him off up to six weeks would be safer.

Reaves last played on 25 March in the Lakers' win over the Indiana Pacers 137-130. He finished with 14 points and eight assists in 38 minutes of action.

Lakers Game Plan With Reaves

But with Reaves seemingly good to go, expect Lakers coach JJ Redick to be cautious. If the NBA Cup champion guard does suit up, his playing minutes could be controlled or restricted.

Already up 3-1, it seems far-fetched that the Lakers would bungle their series lead and allow the Rockets to come from behind to steal the series from LA. Anything is possible.

The absence of Kevin Durant is also a factor. With Durant sidelined due to a sprained ankle, coming back from a 1-3 hole is daunting for H-Town.

Hence, Rockets coach Ime Udoka needs to consistently get good performances from players like Amen Thompson, Alperen Şengün, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. However, the rest of the Rockets team also need to do their part to turn the series around.

Game 5 will be played at the Lakers' home court where LA has yet to lose this postseason to the Rockets. However, it is worth noting that in the regular season, Houston proved it could win on the road. That happened on 26 December when they defeated the Purple and Gold, 119-96.

Heading into Game 5, the Lakers remain slight favourites to prevail at -2.5 with -115 odds and sit at -145 on the moneyline per USA Today.

Should Reaves play and deliver his usual numbers, those odds are likely to increase and give LA a higher probability of winning and closing out their first-round assignment.