Lakers' Austin Reaves Discusses Oblique Injury Rehab Ahead of NBA Playoffs Game 5 vs. Rockets

Austin Reaves said Tuesday he is "trending in the right direction" amid rehab from the oblique injury that has sidelined him for the first four games of the Los Angeles Lakers' first-round series against the Houston Rockets.

"I feel good. Trending in the right direction," Reaves said Tuesday (h/t NBA reporter Mark Medina). "Can't wait to wake up tomorrow and attack another day."

Reaves said the message from the Lakers' medical staff has been that they were going to do "everything as a team to give us an opportunity to come back and play."

"I've done exactly what they've said. I've done everything. I've done a lot," Reaves said.

He added, "Everything from the get-go has been a group effort, and the main thing is to get me back out there as fast as I can with not putting myself at risk to re-injure myself."

The Lakers and Rockets are preparing to tip off Game 5 on Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET in Los Angeles.

The Lakers are leading the series 3-1, although the Rockets staved off elimination with a Game 4 victory last Sunday.

Reaves was upgraded to questionable ahead of Friday's Game 3, although he was ultimately ruled out before that contest as well as Sunday's loss.

He said Tuesday his availability for Game 5 would depend on how his body feels heading into the game.

Reaves said his return would require the "same mentality" as when he returned to the lineup in early February after missing 19 games with a calf strain. After recording 15 points in limited minutes during his return, Reaves racked up 35 points in his second game back on the court.

"The main focus is what your injury is at the time, but you have so much time you can focus on other things to improve yourself, whether it's in the weight room or if you have a couple of things that were bothering you before, you get the opportunity to address those things," Reaves said.

Reaves originally suffered a Grade 2 oblique muscle injury during an April 2 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers ruled him out for the remainder of the regular season on April 4.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday morning that the Lakers had "significant hope around [Reaves'] status, barring a setback."

"He has progressed in his rehab over the last one to two weeks, from one-on-one workouts to larger group scrimmages, sources said," Charania reported.

Reaves' return could take some of the pressure off LeBron James, who was held to just 10 points in Sunday's loss after leading the Lakers to three straight wins to open the series.

The Lakers will remain without Luka Dončić, who suffered a hamstring injury on the same day as Reaves' injury and is expected by Charania to miss at least the rest of the first round.

The Rockets are waiting for an update on Kevin Durant, who has missed Houston's last two games with an ankle injury and was described Wednesday as "day-to-day" by coach Ime Udoka.