Should Lakers' Austin Reaves suit up for Game 5 vs. Rockets?

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15). Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Should Lakers' Austin Reaves suit up for Game 5 vs. Rockets?

By Simoun Redoblado | Last updated Apr 27, 2026 7:08 PM ET

For Los Angeles Lakers fans, it looked too good to be true. With the team up 3-0 in their series against the Houston Rockets, an interesting detail popped up on the injury report for Game 4.

Austin Reaves: questionable.

Reaves, the constantly improving borderline All-Star whose future is bright in Los Angeles, had not seen action on the court since injuring his left oblique muscle on April 2. Oblique strains like the one sustained by AR-15 typically have a recovery time of four to six weeks, and right before Game 4, it seemed that Reaves was ahead of schedule.

Though the sight of Reaves putting up shots during warmups was encouraging, he ended up sitting out Game 4, which devolved into a blown opportunity for the Lakers to sweep the Rockets. So, when the series returns to Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday, Reaves should rip off the Band-Aid and suit up, right?

That move would do the Lakers some good. But it could lead to something bad, too.

Austin Reaves just started his pregame routine on the court before Game 4 of the Rockets-Lakers series pic.twitter.com/WtFXY5udoI
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) April 27, 2026

It makes plenty of sense for Reaves to make his return in a relatively low-pressure situation: at home, with the Lakers still firmly in control of the series. Reaves, then, can loosen up and let his game come naturally to him as he works to shake off the rust built up for over three weeks.

The Lakers could certainly use Reaves' firepower, as they shot miserably from deep in Game 4. The entire team made just five of their 22 outside attempts; Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, on the other hand, made four by his lonesome. Aside from giving the Lakers another outside threat, Reaves is a gifted playmaker who can help Luke Kennard (seven points on 3-for-8 shooting in Game 4) regain his lethal form at the start of this series.

Would all of this be worth it, though? Reaves is a world-class athlete, but he might be better off sitting out the series and giving his body more time to heal. There's a fine line between shaking off rust and rushing back to action, after all.

On top of this, the Lakers have proven that they can find winning ways even with Reaves and Luka Doncic in civilian clothes. What's one more game of a LeBron James-led squad digging deep, compared to the risk of Reaves reinjuring himself and missing action for an even longer period?

Head coach JJ Redick and the rest of his staff have a big decision on their hands as they head back to the City of Angels. Their call on Austin Reaves could swing this series and have ramifications for a 27-year-old's promising career.

Simoun Redoblado

Simoun Redoblado is a basketball and combat sports enthusiast. He has written opinion pieces, listicles, and feature pieces on the NBA, FIBA, Olympic Games, and the local basketball scene in his home country. A product of the University of the Philippines, Simoun dreams of becoming a play-by-play commentator someday.

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