Lakers Get Unexpected Austin Reaves Injury Update Before Game 3 vs. Rockets

Unexpected status change for Austin Reaves hints at potential early return as Los Angeles Lakers look to stay in control of series against the Houston Rockets

Mar 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) on the court in the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have been shorthanded throughout the first two games of their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both on the mend with injuries.

However, an unexpected injury update dropped on Thursday ahead of Game 3 on Friday, regarding Reaves’ status.

Austin Reaves is Questionable for Game 3 vs. Rockets

The Lakers announced that Doncic is out for Friday’s game in Houston as expected, but Reaves is officially questionable to play, which is surprising, to say the least.

Austin Reaves is QUESTIONABLE for Game 3... Interesting development! pic.twitter.com/zefuXb33Ri

— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) April 23, 2026

Reaves has been dealing with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain ever since he suffered the injury on April 2 in the 43-point loss to the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

The consensus has been that he would be out for a considerable amount of time, with a four- to six-week estimate. However, there have been reports that Reaves is making more progress than Doncic in their recoveries and could return earlier than anticipated.

Clearly, with him being upgraded to questionable, things are trending in the right direction for Reaves, which is promising news for the Lakers, who have a 2-0 lead as this first-round series shifts to Houston for the next two games.

Kevin Durant is Questionable for Game 3 vs. Lakers

Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks on from the court in the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Along with Reaves nearing his return to the floor for the Lakers, the Rockets got more bad news on superstar Kevin Durant on Thursday, with the two-time NBA champion now dealing with an ankle sprain.

As a result of the new injury, Durant has been listed as questionable for Friday's game and if he is unable to play, it could have huge ramifications on this series, as Houston could struggle offensively like they did without the veteran forward in Game 1.

The Lakers received more injury news on Thursday after the team's practice, with forward Jake JaRavia dealing with an ankle injury. However, head coach JJ Redick claims the injury is minor, which is likely why he wasn't included on the Lakers' injury report.

As of right now, the Lakers will be at full strength outside of Doncic being ruled out again and Reaves potentially suiting up for Game 3, which would be a game-changer for Los Angeles, as the team attempts to take a commanding 3-0 series lead on Friday night at the Toyota Center.

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