Austin Reaves questionable for Game 5 after missing time with injury

Austin Reaves will be a game-time decision for the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night after nearly four weeks out with a strained left oblique. (nba.com) Reaves said Tuesday he feels “good” and is “trending in the right direction” after getting hurt April 2 at Oklahoma City. Lakers coach JJ Redick said his availability will be based on whether he is “good to go.” (nba.com) The Lakers listed Reaves as questionable for Games 3 and 4 of the first-round series, but he did not play in either game. He has not appeared since the Thunder game in which he finished with 15 points before the injury shut him down. (nba.com) (espn.com) If he returns, Los Angeles gets back its second-leading scorer. Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds this season, though he played only 51 games because of the oblique injury and an earlier left calf strain. (nba.com) (espn.com) His absence has reshaped the series. The Lakers opened a 3-0 lead over Houston without Reaves and without Luka Dončić, then lost Game 4 on Sunday, 115-96, as Amen Thompson scored 23 points and Tari Eason added 20 for the Rockets. (nba.com) (espn.com) Los Angeles entered the playoffs without its top two scorers after Reaves and Dončić were both injured in the same April 2 loss at Oklahoma City. When healthy this season, they combined to average 56.8 points, 13.8 assists and 12.4 rebounds per game. (nba.com) Dončić is still out, which leaves Reaves as the only injured star with a realistic chance to return in this round. NBA.com’s Lakers injury report listed Reaves as questionable and Dončić as out in its latest update. (nba.com) Game 5 is scheduled for 10 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday in Los Angeles. The Lakers still need one win to close the series, and Reaves’ status will not be settled until closer to tipoff. (nba.com)