The Los Angeles Lakers are on the verge of completing a stunning first-round sweep of the Houston Rockets – and they might be getting one of their stars back sooner than expected.
Despite playing without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves for the entire series, the Lakers have stormed to a 3-0 lead after a 112-108 road victory on Friday night. Now, head coach JJ Redick has provided a promising update on Reaves’ status ahead of Game 4 on Sunday.
Reaves Nearing Return?
On Saturday afternoon, Redick told reporters that Reaves – sidelined since April 2 with a Grade 2 oblique strain – would test his injury before Game 4.
“On a conference call with reporters, Lakers coach JJ Redick says Austin Reaves is going to get up shots this afternoon at the arena,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported. “The Lakers will update Reaves’ status for Game 4 at 5 p.m.”
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An oblique strain of this severity typically requires four to six weeks of recovery. Sunday marks exactly three weeks and two days since Reaves suffered the injury.
Before Game 3, The Athletic’s Dan Woike noted: “Austin Reaves will not play Game 3 tonight in Houston as he continues progressing from his Grade 2 oblique strain. The injury is generally a 4-6 week injury. Today is 3 weeks and a day after he suffered it.”
The fact that Reaves is now going through on-court work suggests a return could be imminent.
A Dominant Run Without Their Stars
The Lakers’ 3-0 series lead is remarkable given their injury situation. Dončić remains unavailable, and Reaves has yet to suit up. Yet Los Angeles has leaned on an unlikely collection of heroes.
In Game 3, 41-year-old LeBron James and veteran guard Marcus Smart combined for 50 points and 16 assists. Jake Weinbach of NBA Twitter encapsulated the surprise:
“The Lakers are on the verge of sweeping the Rockets even without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. 41-year-old LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura, and JJ Redick have all been brilliant. This team deserves a lot of credit. I don’t think anybody saw this coming.”
The fourth-seeded Lakers finished the regular season 53-29, going 26-16 on the road. Now they have a chance to close out Houston in Texas on Sunday.
Social Media Reacts to Reaves Update
Fans and analysts quickly weighed in on Redick’s announcement. Many argued that with a 3-0 lead, the Lakers should err on the side of caution.
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@SimpleImproves: “No reason to play him. 3-0. Let him come back Game 5”
@primetimejl_: “He needs at least 1 game in before OKC”
@LeLukaShow: “Woke up to this 👀👀👀👀”
@24Dparks: “They’ll say he’s a game time decision”
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The reference to “OKC” is significant: the winner of this series will face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or Phoenix Suns in the second round. Getting Reaves – who averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds on 49% shooting this season – back for that matchup would be a major boost.
What’s at Stake in Game 4
The Lakers can close out the series with a win on Sunday. If they lose, Game 5 would return to Los Angeles on Wednesday.
But the larger story remains the team’s resilience. Without two of their primary scorers, JJ Redick (the coach, not the player – though the fictional 2026 scenario has former sharpshooter Redick now on the bench) has guided a patchwork group to the brink of the second round.
Now, the question is whether Austin Reaves will help deliver the final blow – or save his return for the next challenge.
*The Lakers’ official status update for Reaves is expected at 5 p.m. ET Sunday, approximately two hours before tip-off.*