Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves was upgraded from out to questionable for their Game 3 matchup against the Houston Rockets on Friday night. The Lakers are already up 2-0 in the series, but Reaves’ potential return could give them an even better chance at getting Luka Doncic back this postseason, because the longer they can stay alive, the better a chance he has at returning.
LeBron James has gotten the job done in Games 1 and 2, alongside some elite role-player performances. But if the Lakers want a true chance at a title run, they need Reaves and Doncic. Obviously, Doncic will take a bit longer to get back, but having Reaves in the meantime should help the Lakers stay afloat.
And that’s all they need to do right now.
Austin Reaves' return could help Lakers stay alive long enough for Luka Doncic to come back
Doncic has been dealing with a left hamstring strain that he suffered on April 3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Not only did it (nearly) cost him his NBA Awards eligiblity, but it also sidelined him for the beginning of the postseason.
Meanwhile, Reaves’ left oblique muscle strain also popped up toward the end of the year, causing him to be sidelined for the start of the playoffs. But he’s almost back.
And if Reaves can step into the Lakers’ lineup and help them take down the Rockets in the first round, and perhaps even take a game or two off the Oklahoma City Thunder or Phoenix Suns in Round 2, then Doncic could have time to make his comeback.
But Reaves and James wouldn’t be doing it alone, because through the first two games of the playoffs, the Lakers have gotten a ton of help from the rest of their roster.
Luke Kennard, in particular, has been crucial to LA’s ability to win the first two games. His scoring and three-point shooting have spearheaded a lot of the Lakers’ success.
Meanwhile, Marcus Smart was amazing in Game 2. Not only did he catch fire from beyond the three-point arc, but he helped clamp Kevin Durant, who really struggled to get out of double-teams.
Now, if Reaves can come back and help the Lakers wrap up this series against Houston, Doncic should have a solid chance at returning.
Plus, with Victor Wembanyama’s concussion, who knows what could happen with that series? The Lakers could have a potential path to make the Western Conference finals. But they need Doncic to do that.
And if they want to get Doncic back, they need Reaves first. Well, at least, he would definitely help.
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