The Los Angeles Lakers could reportedly get injured guard Austin Reaves back for Game 5 against the Houston Rockets on April 29.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Game 5 of the Lakers vs. Rockets series will mark a key milestone in Reaves’ rehab and recovery process.
“Austin has progressed to 1-on-1 workouts coming off a grade 2 oblique strain.” McMenamin reported on the “Howdy Partners” podcast on Wednesday.
“We originally reported a 4-to-6 week timeline. Game 5 would be one day short of four weeks, so you have to start to look at that as a theoretical possibility.”
McMenamin, though, confirmed the Lakers don’t have April 29 circled on the calendar as a potential return date for Reaves.
Austin Reaves Return Date
“It’s gonna depend on how he feels in this rehab,” the Lakers insider continued.
“And quite frankly, it’s gonna depend on where the series stands. If the Lakers split in Houston and return [home] with a 3-1 lead, they may not have to rush him back.”
Further to McMenamin’s point, the Lakers have theoretically given Austin Reaves more time to rehab his injury by seizing a 2-0 series lead against the Rockets. As such, they are under less pressure to rush Reaves or Luka Doncic back. If the Lakers pull off an improbable sweep, they will have even more time to ensure Reaves returns healthy.
“A part of the reason for optimism around Reaves is also the nature of the injury,” McMenamin said of Reaves’ oblique strain. “If he were to return, the chance of making the injury worse isn’t necessarily such a high risk.”
Lakers Wait for Austin Reaves
Unlike Reaves’ injury, the Lakers are reportedly more wary of rushing Luka Doncic back, given the recurring nature of hamstring injuries. This season, the likes of Aaron Gordon, Peyton Watson and Jalen Williams have all paid the price for returning too soon from hamstring strains, only to be shelved after being cleared to return.
Sports doctor Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT, also earmarked Game 5 on April 29 or Game 6 on May 1 as a possible return date for Austin Reaves after news emerged that the Lakers star had begun 1-on-1 workouts.
“This ramp up process typically takes 1 week in the regular season from 1-1 work, 3-3 work [and] 5-5 work. Then a player is cleared to return,” Jeffries wrote on X.
Assuming Reaves progresses from 1-on-1 to 3-on-3 to 5-on-5 within the next week, there’s a realistic possibility he returns for Game 5 on April 29.
The Lakers will take a 2-0 lead into Game 3 in Houston on Friday. Redick’s team is now a -135 favorite to win the series after entering as a massive +550 underdog.
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