Lakers’ Austin Reaves upgraded to questionable for Game 3 against Rockets
Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and guard Austin Reaves (15) look on from the bench in the first half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Austin Reaves is inching closer to a return. The Los Angeles Lakers upgraded their star guard to questionable for Friday’s Game 3 against the Houston Rockets, marking a significant step forward in his recovery from a Grade 2 left oblique strain suffered on April 2.
The injury occurred during the Lakers’ 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the same game that saw Luka Doncic suffer a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. While Doncic remains listed as out for Game 3, Reaves has been progressing through his return-to-play program.
Reaves making steady progress in recovery
Lakers coach JJ Redick confirmed that Reaves began his on-court work earlier this week, starting with 1-on-1 sessions on Tuesday. « The progression is going, » Redick said when asked about the 27-year-old’s status on Thursday. Reaves has been spotted shooting after practices over the past week, including following Thursday’s session before the team departed for Houston.
Thursday marked three weeks since Reaves sustained the oblique injury, which typically requires 4-6 weeks to heal completely. His potential return would provide a significant boost for the Lakers, who hold a commanding 2-0 series lead despite missing their second-leading scorer.
Reaves enjoyed a career-best regular season, averaging 23.3 points on 49% shooting from the field and 36% from 3-point range, along with 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals. However, injuries limited him to just 51 games after he also missed significant time in December and January due to a calf strain.
Durant’s status adds intrigue to Game 3
On the Houston side, Kevin Durant faces his own injury concerns heading into Game 3. The 37-year-old veteran is listed as questionable with a sprained left ankle, adding uncertainty to the Rockets’ efforts to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole.
Durant already missed Game 1 due to a right knee contusion before returning for Game 2, where he led Houston with 23 points on 7-for-12 shooting in 41 minutes. However, he struggled significantly in the second half, managing just three points on 1-for-5 shooting while committing five turnovers after the break, contributing to a career postseason-worst nine turnovers in the Lakers’ 101-94 victory.
Without Reaves and Doncic, the Lakers finished the regular season 3-2, causing them to slip from the No. 3 seed to No. 4 in the Western Conference playoff bracket and setting up this first-round matchup against the fifth-seeded Rockets.
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