Lakers Release Austin Reaves Update Ahead of Game 4 vs Rockets

The Los Angeles Lakers are up 3-0 on the Houston Rockets, one win away from the second round and they might be getting one of their best players back very soon.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin posted on X with an update straight from a JJ Redick conference call with reporters.

"On a conference call with reporters, Lakers coach JJ Redick says Austin Reaves is going to get up shots this afternoon at the arena. The Lakers will update Reaves' status for Game 4 at 5 p.m."
Dave McMenamin

On a conference call with reporters, Lakers coach JJ Redick says Austin Reaves is going to get up shots this afternoon at the arena. The Lakers will update Reaves’ status for Game 4 at 5 p.m.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 25, 2026

Reaves has not played since suffering a Grade 2 left oblique strain on April 2 in a blowout loss at Oklahoma City. The initial timeline was four to six weeks, which had most people writing off any chance of seeing him in the first round entirely.

But things have moved faster than that. He was upgraded to questionable for Game 3 before being ruled out, working his way through on-court progressions including 3-on-3 sessions. Getting up shots at the arena ahead of Game 4 is the next step forward in that process.

What Austin Reaves Coming Back Would Mean for the Los Angeles Lakers

To understand what Reaves brings, just look at the problems the Lakers have had in this series without him. Turnovers have been an issue, and Houston has been brutal on the offensive glass, grabbing 18 offensive rebounds in Game 3 alone. The Lakers have still won all three games, but the margins in between the games have been tighter than the scoreline suggests.

With Luka Doncic also out, LeBron has taken on the primary ball-handling duties and done a solid job holding things together. But that is a lot to ask of a 41-year-old, night after night in the playoffs. Reaves stepping back into that role would free LeBron to just play off the ball, attack mismatches, and not carry the entire offensive load by himself.

But Reaves is a different kind of player. He averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds this season on 49 percent shooting. He is someone who can create his own shot, make plays off the dribble, and take real pressure off LeBron in halfcourt situations. That is not easy to replace.

Even so, if the Lakers decide to hold him out of Game 4, it is hard to argue against that call. Shoot around looks nothing like a playoff game. The physicality, the contact on drives, the scrambles for loose balls, an oblique can flare up in any of those moments. With a 3-0 lead, there is no reason to rush him back and risk losing him for a longer stretch.

Luka Doncic remains out with a Grade 2 hamstring strain and is not expected back this series. But a healthy Reaves heading into Round 2 would change the Lakers' outlook completely. The 5 p.m. update will be worth watching.

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