Lakers’ Austin Reaves returns in Recreation 5 after lacking 9 video games

LOS ANGELES — Austin Reaves is getting back from a nine-game harm absence Wednesday evening when the Los Angeles Lakers try to complete their first-round playoff collection with the Houston Rockets in Recreation 5.

Reaves has been out since April 2 with strained indirect muscle mass, lacking the ultimate 5 video games of the Lakers’ common season and the primary 4 video games of the postseason. However Reaves returned to observe final week, and he warmed up for the earlier two video games within the collection in Houston earlier than being dominated out.

Reaves was injured in the identical recreation during which NBA scoring champion Luka Doncic strained his proper hamstrings. Doncic would not but look like near a return.

The Lakers gained the primary three video games of the collection with out their prime two scorers, however the Rockets took Game 4 to push the collection again to Los Angeles.

Reaves averaged 23.3 factors, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds this season, however performed in simply 51 video games due to the indirect harm and a strained left calf that sidelined him for 19 straight video games from Christmas to February.br/]