Should the Lakers Let Austin Reaves Play in Game 4? 3 Reasons to Be Cautious

With Austin Reaves trending toward a potential return, the Los Angeles Lakers must weigh the risk of re-injury against the urgency of Game 4 against the Houston Rockets.

Austin Reaves | William Liang-Imagn Images

Heading into Game 4 against the Houston Rockets on Sunday at the Toyota Center, the Los Angeles Lakers have the opportunity to pull off the sweep, marking one of the biggest upsets in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Along with potentially winning a fourth straight game against the Rockets and advancing to the second round of the postseason, the Lakers may get rising star Austin Reaves back on the floor. Reaves hasn’t played since suffering an oblique strain on April 2, as he’s been sidelined along with Luka Doncic, who is dealing with a hamstring strain.

Although getting Reaves back on the floor improves the Lakers’ chances of pulling off the sweep, the team needs to be cautious with the soon-to-be 28-year-old moving forward.

Here are three reasons why the Lakers should consider keeping Reaves in street clothes for Game 4.

No. 1: Risk of Reinjury is Very Real

Luka Doncic and guard Austin Reaves | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

If the Lakers were facing elimination on Sunday night, then sure, bringing back Reaves to extend their playoff run makes sense. He’d definitely help the squad even if he’s not close to being back to form.

It seems unwise to rush the process, given the very real chance he could reinjure himself by coming back too soon. 

There’s no reason to risk that unless he truly feels he’s 100 percent and can contribute at a high level to help the team advance.

No. 2: Timeline Suggests He’s Ahead, But Not Ready

Austin Reaves warming up ahead of Game 3 pic.twitter.com/A5VMqVhrFy

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 24, 2026

After suffering the Grade 2 oblique strain earlier this month in the 43-point loss to the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who the Lakers will likely face in the second round if they beat the Rockets, Reaves was looking at a timeline from four to six weeks. 

Clearly, Reaves is ahead of schedule if he returns tonight or Game 5 (if necessary) on Wednesday, April 29. However, it seems unlikely that he’s ready to be thrust into a playoff game against a desperate Houston squad that plays a physical brand of basketball, even if he’s coming off the bench and has a minutes restriction.

There’s no way to replicate game speed and physicality, especially a playoff game where things ramp up considerably, so there’s no way of knowing how Reaves’ body will respond.

No. 3: Lakers Can Buy Time Without Him

LeBron James and Alperen Sengun | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Lakers are in an ideal situation, having a 3-0 lead over the Rockets, which benefits Reaves and Doncic. There’s no need to rush either player back, as the team can buy more time for them to get their bodies right.

Although it looks like Doncic might benefit the most from more time, as he may not be close to returning, Reaves potentially forcing it doesn’t seem like the way to go.

On ESPN NBA Today @ShamsCharania reported that “Luka Doncic is out indefinitely and likely not back for this series”

As far as Austin Reaves he is “progressing to 1 on 1 work, next up is 3 on 3 and he has a chance to return towards the end of the series, he is progressing well”… pic.twitter.com/IpgNQBScch

— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) April 21, 2026

In all likelihood, the Lakers will advance to the next round, whether it’s with a win in Game 4, Game 5, or if things get stretched out in Game 6 or Game 7.

Even though Reaves is likely incredibly anxious to get back on the floor to help his team because that’s the way he’s wired, the wise move is not to force it and remain cautious. Sitting out another game gives him Monday, Tuesday and leading up to game time on Wednesday to be better prepared for his long-awaited return to the floor.

It’s the smart move to sit, but ultimately, it’ll be up to Reaves to decide.

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