The Los Angeles Lakers are hopeful for the return of Austin Reaves for Game 3 of their first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets. After missing the start of the series, the shooting guard has officially been upgraded to questionable in the latest injury report.
This serves as a massive boost for the Lakers, which have had to endure the first two games of the postseason without both Reaves and Luka Doncic. Despite these absences, LeBron James proved he still has plenty of gas in the tank, leading Los Angeles to two crucial victories at Crypto.com Arena to defend home court.
While Reaves’ upgrade to questionable is a positive sign, his presence at the Toyota Center in Houston is not yet guaranteed. The 27-year-old has progressed faster than Doncic, recently participating in on-court work and one-on-one activities, but the final decision will likely be a game-time call.
The latest on Luka Doncic
Unlike the optimistic outlook for Reaves, the situation surrounding Doncic remains grim. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Lakers organization does not expect the Slovenian star to return during the series against the Rockets.
Luka Doncic reacts after getting injured. (Getty Images)
He remains sidelined indefinitely with a hamstring injury suffered during the regular season against the Oklahoma City Thunder—the same game in which Reaves was injured.
Doncic’s absence is a significant blow to the Lakers’ title aspirations, as he was putting together a stellar season. Before the injury, he was averaging 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game.
LeBron James on the series lead
Even with a 2-0 lead, LeBron James is refusing to let the team become complacent. Despite winning both home games without their starting backcourt, James emphasized that the job is far from over.
“It means nothing,” James said following the Game 2 win, according to Lakers Nation. “Series are not won until you win four. It’s the first to four. Our only mindset is Game 3. The game is always played in between the lines, and that’s all that matters”.
