WASHINGTON — After being sidelined for over a month, Lakers star guard Austin Reaves could make his return to the floor on Friday night in the nation’s capital.
The Lakers upgraded Reaves to questionable for their matchup against the Washington Wizards after Reaves was sidelined for the previous 17 games because of a strained left calf.
Fellow star Luka Dončić, who took a scary fall early in the first quarter of Wednesday’s season-worst loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ on Wednesday but finished out the game, was also listed as questionable because of left ankle soreness.
Reaves, who hasn’t played since sitting out the second half of the Christmas Day loss to the Houston Rockets, was playing at an All-NBA/All-Star level before suffering his second calf injury in just a couple of weeks.
The 27-year-old guard averaged 26.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds in 23 games before missing the last five weeks.
Reaves was sidelined for three games from Dec. 14-20 because of a different strained left calf injury before playing in the Dec. 23 loss to the Phoenix Suns and Dec. 25 loss to the Rockets, sitting out since then.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
Lakers Coach JJ Redick said earlier this week that Reaves participated in multiple “stay-ready” on-court sessions, with his return to the court happening when he felt comfortable.
“Certainly the thrust and the movement,” Redick said about what the Lakers have missed about Reaves. “And just the pace. He’s a violent basketball player. And we missed that. His defense, I thought the second half of last year, was really good. Having been with us now for two years, we miss his ability to consistently execute. And those are 36-39 minutes of consistent execution on the defensive end. He knows our stuff. He executes it well. His level of intent on that end is really good every night.
Redick added: “We talked a lot earlier in the season about his leadership and he’s been very engaged during this stretch when he’s been out. He’s a connective tissue for us on the floor and we’re all looking forward to getting him back.”
The Lakers, who enter the matchup against the Wizards with an 28-18 record after Wednesday’s season-worst loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, went 9-8 in the games Reaves has missed since Dec. 28.
“[We] need his dynamic,” Rui Hachimura said. “We had a great start the first 20 games and he was the biggest part of those games. We are excited for him to be back.”
