Lakers Get Hopeful Austin Reaves Injury Update for Game 5 vs Rockets

Austin Reaves could finally return for Game 5, but can the Los Angeles Lakers close out the Rockets at home without taking any risks with their star guard?

Austin Reaves | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers dropped Game 4 to the Houston Rockets 115-96, but the series is still firmly in their hands at 3-1. And heading into Game 5, there is some genuinely good news on the injury front.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Austin Reaves could return for Game 5. Reaves has been sidelined since April 2 with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, the same game Luka Doncic suffered his hamstring injury.

"Yeah, Austin Reaves, we'll see the next couple days how he feels. He could play on Wednesday, that's game five. He was a game time decision, game three and game four. So, there was a chance he was going to play, but listen, he had a grade two oblique strain. So, four to six weeks, that four week period, that's coming up here closer at the end of this week. So, I think game five very much well within reaach for him. Luka Doncic, though, not returning in this series."

Shams Charania

"Austin Reaves could play on Wednesday in game five..

Luka Doncic will not be returning in this series"@ShamsCharania #PMSLive https://t.co/X8iUDTE1mG pic.twitter.com/WuXBP9Zf7p

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 27, 2026

His recovery has moved in clear steps. He started with free throws and light shooting after team practice, then progressed to broader on-court work, and most recently completed 1-on-1 drills, which Redick confirmed before Game 2.

Reaves was listed as questionable for both Game 3 and Game 4, but was ruled out each time. The Lakers held a 3-0 series lead before Game 4, and with the cautious approach, head coach JJ Redick chose not to rush him back. But now, with the series at 3-1 and heading home, the urgency has shifted.

Austin Reaves Returning for Game 5 Could Help Lakers Clinch the Series

In the first three games, the Lakers were locked in. LeBron James scored 19, 28, and 29 points respectively, and the team kept things tight enough to win all three without either Reaves or Doncic. Game 4 was a completely different story.

LeBron shot 2-for-9, finished with just 10 points, and had eight turnovers on his own. The team gave it away 23 times in total, and Houston turned those into 30 points. Without a second playmaker to take some of the load, the offense fell apart the moment LeBron had an off night.

That is exactly where Reaves comes in. He averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds this season, all career highs, and he is the one guy who can handle the ball and create shots when LeBron is on the bench or struggling to get going.

Getting him back, even on limited minutes, means the Lakers are not one bad LeBron night away from losing again. Game 5 is at Crypto.com Arena on April 29, and with the crowd behind them, Los Angeles will want to close this out cleanly.

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