EL SEGUNDO — Austin Reaves said that the waiting game, watching from the bench in the playoffs, has been “miserable.”
It’s easy to understand Reaves’ frustration, sitting next to fellow-injured star Luka Doncic on the bench in street clothes as the undermanned Lakers turned from series underdogs to now holding a 3-1 series lead over the Houston Rockets heading into Game 5 on Wednesday night. He shared the frustration he felt on April 2, carrying that stomach-dropping feeling that something was wrong despite finishing out the game after grabbing at his left side throughout the defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“When something’s bothering me,” he said, speaking at Tuesday’s practice for the first time since his MRI revealed a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury in Dallas on April 4. “It’s usually something’s wrong.”
Reaves continued: “Obviously I can talk and try to lead from being over there (on the bench), but not really being on the court sucks. I think we’ve seen in the past when I get injured, I do everything I can to get back as soon as I can with still being safe at the same time.”
Reaves, the Lakers’ second-leading scorer at 23.3 points per game – behind Doncic, the league’s scoring champion, who remains out with a left hamstring strain – returned to pre-game shooting drills before Game 3 and 4 in Houston.
The 27-year-old guard, who is likely to test free agency and decline his player option in the offseason, started both days as questionable, playing in stay-ready games with teammates to remain fresh in hopes of a playoff return. But Reaves didn’t play in either game after being ruled out before tip-off.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said that Reaves will once again be a game-time decision for Game 5, while the rest of the Lakers players outside of Doncic will be available after nursing only “nicks and bruises” through the first four games of the best-of-seven first-round series. Doncic is increasing on-court movement, Redick said Tuesday.
The oblique injury often carries a four-to-six-week recovery period. Redick said the return from injury requires confidence on the player’s part.
“JJ specifically was like, you have to be comfortable with your body and what you can do to go out there and help us be successful,” Reaves said. “And I want to get back out there as fast as I can. But, like I said, I feel good and trending in the right direction and can’t wait to wake up tomorrow and attack another day.”
Reaves had become an observer over the last month.
He watched from a padded seat as the Lakers took down the betting-favorite Rockets in the first three games of the first round. Even though Reaves hasn’t been on the court, he said that he’s relished watching his teammates string together success through “determination” and “togetherness.”
Reaves said that he and Doncic talk about it together while sitting side by side on the bench, marveling at the dedication of competing through every possession and the attention to detail on the court. Luke Kennard, whose role has dramatically changed since Reaves and Doncic suffered their regular-season-ending injuries, said that to have the pair of stars shouting from the bench and “leaders” like them staying involved, lifts the team’s spirits.
“It’s good to hear them doing some things on the court and hopefully getting back to us soon,” Kennard said. “Having those guys just around it means a lot to all of us.”
For Reaves, the road back to recovery has been tough. He said that he’s done “everything” on and off the court in his quest to return, adding that the decision to play, potentially as soon as Wednesday, will ultimately come down to how his body feels.
“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 without putting myself at risk to re-injure myself,” Reaves said. “Everybody’s been extremely positive through this whole process. And we’re all working for one goal and yeah, we’re doing everything we can.”
Redick said that they’ve yet to determine whether Reaves will be on a minutes restriction, saying that’s something that will be decided once Reaves is cleared to play. With or without Reaves, the Lakers have another chance at clinching the series at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night.
What is it going to take to send the Rockets out of the playoff field and set up a battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinal?
“You have to kill them,” Redick said. “It’s difficult to kill someone. … Survival instinct says, ‘I want to stay alive.’ And so, you’ve got to be able to kill them. That’s what [it takes].”