New Austin Reaves Injury Update, Latest on Status for Lakers vs. Rockets Game 5

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves will return to the floor in Game 5 of the team's first-round series against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, it was announced prior to tip-off.

ESPN's Shams Charania initially reported Tuesday that Reaves had a chance to return to the lineup and that the Lakers were "optimistic" about his odds of playing.

While Reaves is returning to the court, Charania noted that Luka Dončić is not expected to play in the first round.

Charania added on SportsCenter that if the Lakers are able to advance to the next round, the expectation is that Dončić is unlikely to play in that series as he still has no timeline to return (1:30 mark).

Reaves has been sidelined since April 2 due to a Grade 2 left oblique strain. Dončić has also been out since April 2, though his absence is due to a hamstring injury.

Reaves was initially expected to miss four to six weeks after suffering the injury, according to Charania.

Ultimately, he was not able to play in Games 3 or 4.

Reaves has managed multiple injuries throughout his 2025-26 campaign, only appearing in 51 games during the regular season. He previously missed time due to calf issues.

Still, Reaves' return provides a boost to Los Angeles' offense.

He put together a strong season despite the health woes, averaging a career-high 23.3 points to go along with 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. Reaves shot 49.0 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from three-point territory.

The 27-year-old owned the second-best net rating among all Lakers players during the regular season (via NBA.com).

Dončić, meanwhile, averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds in his first full season in Los Angeles.

Despite Sunday's 115-96 loss, the Lakers have still been able to take a 3-1 series lead over the Rockets without Reaves and Dončić. When they take the court for Game 5 on Wednesday, they'll have the chance to win the series with Reaves in the lineup.