Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is in the midst of his best NBA season. It's been one of the biggest talking points in Los Angeles, as Reaves has seamlessly transitioned from role to role depending on what the team needs of him.
Unfortunately, Reaves' momentum was temporarily derailed when he suffered a calf injury on Feb. 28 that caused him to miss the Lakers' past two games.
Thankfully, it appears as though Reaves' absence will be shorter than anticipated. The NBA released the injury report for Mar. 6, and the 26-year-old's name was inevitably on it due to the calf strain he's been dealing with.
The significant update, however, is that Reaves was listed as probable for the Lakers' upcoming game against the New York Knicks.
That's massive news for a Lakers team that's come to rely quite heavily on Reaves' presence. Prior to the trade for Doncic, he was the team's secondary perimeter scorer and facilitator, and his usage hasn't been impacted all that much since the move went through.
Thankfully, it appears as though the Lakers' push for the playoffs will feature Reaves again after just two games without the rising star.
Austin Reaves probable for Lakers vs. Knicks on Mar. 6
Reaves is currently averaging 19.1 points, 6.0 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.5 three-point field goals made on .447/.362/.867 shooting. He's on pace to set new career-best marks in every one of those statistics but rebounding, which he's just 0.1 board per game shy of tying.
Those numbers only scratch the surface of what Reaves has done since Christmas Day, when he began the best stretch of his career thus far.
Since Christmas, Reaves has averaged 20.8 points, 6.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.5 three-point field goals made on .452/.371/.901 shooting. During that time, he's posted 16 games with at least 20 points, four with upwards of 30, and one with a career-high 45.
During that same time, Reaves has ripped off seven games with at least 10 assists—a clear representation of how much progress he's made as an all-around offensive player.
Many expected those numbers to subside with the arrival of Doncic, who immediately formed a two-headed superstar monster with LeBron James. Reaves is averaging 23.1 points and 6.1 assists since the Lakers traded for Doncic, excluding the game during which he was injured after just nine minutes.
Thankfully, it seems likely that Reaves will be back on the court on Mar. 6 against the Knicks, with an opportunity to prove he can star right alongside Doncic and James.