Crypto.com Arena was quiet during a tense moment in the fourth quarter on Wednesday night.
As the Lakers fell behind by 10 points to the Rockets, they rushed down the court, and Austin Reeves attempted a three-pointer. It didn’t go in. Deandre Ayton snagged the rebound and tossed it back to Reeves, who tried again. That shot also missed. Ayton recovered another offensive rebound, but after a chaotic series of struggles, LeBron James attempted a shot that sailed over the backboard.
This sequence encapsulated Game 5, reflecting the ups and downs in the playoff series between the Rockets and Lakers.
The last time Reeves played was April 2 against Oklahoma City, where he suffered a torn left oblique muscle early on, causing him to miss the following month.
“It’s been quite the journey,” Reeves said of his recovery. “I’ve been hustling all over Los Angeles, trying to get back to this point.”
Meanwhile, the Lakers kept moving forward, surprisingly winning without Reeves and leading scorer Luka Doncic. They had built a 3-0 lead against the Rockets, all while their two stars watched the games in casual clothing from the sidelines.
Reeves wasn’t a starter for Game 5, but as he stepped onto the court midway through the first quarter, he realized that practicing in an empty gym wasn’t enough to prepare him for the playoff atmosphere. There were no easy transitions or soft landings; he was thrown straight into the action.
And it showed in the game.
Reeves played nearly 34 minutes upon his return, but it was anything but smooth. The rhythm just wasn’t there. After managing to score a three-pointer that excited the crowd, he struggled for the rest of the game, finishing with 4 out of 16 shots and 2 out of 8 from three-point range.
“I haven’t played in a while,” admitted Reeves, “and I wish I’d found my groove before diving in like that… I feel like I could have contributed more.”
Fatigue, timing—it’s typical for someone returning to play in the postseason after weeks of sidelining due to injury.
The issue? The Lakers desperately need Reeves to find his footing without wasting any time.
They ended up losing 99-93, marking their second consecutive loss after having a solid 3-0 advantage. Suddenly, what once seemed inevitable now feels precarious. The series has taken a turn.
Now, Reeves must not just rejoin the team—he must help close out the series.
Head coach JJ Redick was straightforward when discussing Reeves’ performance: “You need to find your rhythm.” It wasn’t just advice; it was a demand, and the team needs him to step up quickly.
“I ran tonight for the first time in ages and felt a rush,” said Reeves. “Now I’ve been thrown into this intense environment.”
Reeves had been shooting 36% from three-point range, and he was expected to uplift that statistic in Game 5. Instead, he reflected on the team’s struggles over the past couple of games. During the first three games of this series, the Lakers shot an impressive 47% from long range. But in the last two? That productivity plummeted to 23%. Reeves’ rustiness certainly didn’t help.
“I missed several easy shots,” he admitted. “As a team, we didn’t perform well shooting.”
But it goes beyond just missed opportunities; it’s a significant chance lost.
Reeves’ return was anticipated to bring stability to the Lakers, but at this point, that hasn’t materialized.
On a brighter note, Reeves has navigated challenging situations before.
Back in late December, he sustained a calf strain, sidelining him for five weeks. He returned for a game on the bench in Brooklyn and initially struggled, making only 3 out of 9 attempts and 1 of 5 from beyond the arc.
However, just two days later, he rebounded strongly in Los Angeles against the 76ers, scoring a remarkable 35 points on 12 of 17 shooting, including 5 out of 3 from three-point territory.
We know he’s capable of greatness, and the Lakers are counting on that version of Reeves to show up in Houston on Friday.
If he falters again, the narrative could shift from simple rustiness to something much more concerning. In fact, no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 playoff deficit. Only four teams have managed to push to Game 7 after such a setback. That’s the precarious position the Lakers find themselves in now.
Another poor performance could lead to dire consequences.
