Lakers clear Austin Reaves to return against Nets
lakers-clear-austin-reaves-to-return-against-nets
Los Angeles, CA — The Los Angeles Lakers have upgraded guard Austin Reaves from “out” to “available” for Tuesday night’s matchup with the Brooklyn Nets, the club’s final contest of an eight-game Grammy road trip.
The third-year guard has not played since Christmas Day because of a left calf strain, sitting out 19 consecutive games. Reaves first felt discomfort in mid-December, missed three games, tried to come back, then was shut down after two appearances.
Calf problems can precede more serious injuries such as Achilles tears — setbacks that sidelined Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton during last season’s NBA Finals and Kevin Durant in the 2019 Finals — prompting the Lakers to proceed cautiously. According to the team, Reaves is expected to have a minutes restriction while he ramps up.
Before the injury, Reaves was producing career-best numbers: 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game on 50.7 percent shooting and 36.5 percent from three-point range. He also averaged nearly nine free-throw attempts, a skill Haliburton has studied while rehabbing his own Achilles tear.
Tuesday’s game in Brooklyn offers Los Angeles (4-3 on the trip) a chance to return home with a winning road record. It also reunites Reaves with Luka Doncic and LeBron James; the trio has appeared together in only eight games this season. Head coach JJ Redick said having Reaves back will help him solidify rotations as the Lakers push toward the season’s second half.
Source: Lakers Nation
