Lakers' Austin Reaves Aiming for Game 5 Return After 'Miserable' Sideline Stint

After missing roughly the last four weeks with a Grade 2 oblique strain, Lakers guard Austin Reaves is "optimistic" he will be able to return to action in Wednesday's Game 5 vs. the Rockets, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday morning.

Los Angeles currently leads the series 3-1. Per Charania, whether or not Reaves suits up will be a game-time decision.

Reaves initially picked up the injury on April 2, during the Lakers’ 139–96 loss to the Thunder. At the time, it was estimated that he would miss four to six weeks.

The 27-year-old stud averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists during the regular season, behind only Luka Dončić, who is also out with an injury right now.

"Reaves has been making great progress over the last one to two weeks, progressing from one-on-ones to larger group scrimmages with no setbacks," Charania said on ESPN's Get Up on Tuesday morning. "So, barring any type of an issue over the next 24 hours, Austin Reaves is going in to practice today in Los Angeles with significant hope he can get back in the lineup."

Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, in his first media session since the injury, Reaves said he has done "everything" to try to get over the issue. As for how he'll know if he can play, the guard said he will go off of "how my body feels," and noted that the decision will be made in conjunction with the Lakers.

"Everybody's on the same page here. ... The main thing is to get me back out there as fast as I can [without] putting myself a risk to re-injure myself."

He added that "it's been a lot of fun" to watch the series from the outside.

"Just seeing the determination, the togetherness, just the joy of them playing basketball together, competing every single possession has been a lot of fun," he said, noting that, at the same time, it has also "been pretty miserable" to have to sit out.

"I've done everything I can do to be in good condition, be as in somewhat of a rhythm as I can to go out there and, when I'm able to get on the court, try and make it as seamless as possible."

How have the Lakers done in Reaves's absence?

Four-time MVP and 22-time All-Star LeBron James has stepped up as the team's de facto bucket-maker with both Reaves and Dončić sidelined. In the run-up to the playoffs, the Lakers won three out of their last five regular-season games, with James as the leading scorer for the majority of that stretch.

The team has fared similarly well in the postseason, where they very nearly swept the Rockets in four games in the first round. Houston ultimately held on Sunday to force a Game 5, but the threat of Reaves back in the lineup should worry them. Without AR, DeAndre Ayton, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart have been huge for the Lakers; Kennard, for example, dropped a season-high 27 points in L.A.'s Game 1 win.

When will Luka Dončić return?

Dončić is recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring strain, initially suffered during the same game as Reaves on April 2. L.A. soon ruled him out for the remainder of the regular season.

He is not expected to return in this first-round series vs. the Rockets, but started movement on the court last Sunday.

“Most of his stuff [before] had been standstill,” coach JJ Redick said at the time, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

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