Austin Reaves Returns for Lakers in Game 5

Austin Reaves, the start guard for the Lakers, made a much-anticipated comeback during Game 5 against the Rockets. He had been out for nearly a month due to a torn oblique muscle.

Reaves was upgraded from questionable to available about 45 minutes before the game started at Crypto.com Arena, which meant he could finally make his playoff debut after sitting out the first four matches of this series.

He had been on the sidelines for 27 days because of a Grade 2 oblique strain sustained during a game against the Thunder on April 2. Thankfully, he returned sooner than the usual four to six-week recovery timeline for such an injury.

Initially listed as questionable for Games 3 and 4, Reaves was ultimately marked as out for both. This left many wondering about his status heading into Game 5.

When asked about what would determine his ability to play, he said he would go by how his body felt — and thankfully, it felt good enough for him to hit the court.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have been coping with injuries, including one to fellow star guard Luka Doncic, who also suffered a left hamstring strain that ended his regular season on April 2. Both players missed the last five games of the regular season, but the Lakers managed a 3-2 record in their absence.

Reaves expressed feeling quite miserable during his recovery, stating it was tough to watch from the sidelines. He mentioned, “You can’t control the game and just sitting there… it’s the worst. Of course, you can talk and lead, but not playing is just awful. I’ll do everything I can to stay safe and get back quickly.”

As the Lakers faced the Rockets, they aimed to secure the series win on Wednesday. Reaves highlighted the team’s confidence, saying their message during his absence was clear: “We’ll do everything as a team to create chances to come back.” And they certainly delivered.

During the regular season, Reaves achieved a career-high average of 23.3 points, along with 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals — though he played a career-low 51 games due to earlier injuries. Looking ahead, he has a $14.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season, which he is expected to decline, likely turning him into an unrestricted free agent this offseason with hopes for a significant salary increase.