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Lakers rumors: Austin Reaves set to return vs. Rockets. What about Luka Doncic?
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- Lakers rumors: Austin Reaves set to return vs. Rockets. What about Luka Doncic?
Lakers rumors: Austin Reaves set to return vs. Rockets. What about Luka Doncic? appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered their first loss of the playoffs with a blowout Game 4 defeat against the Houston Rockets . The Lakers are still in firm control of the series, up 3-1 as things shift back to Los Angeles for Game 5, but the team would love to get some good news on Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic , each of whom has missed the entirety of this series due to injury.
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Recently, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania provided the latest updates on Reaves and Doncic heading into Game 5.
“ Austin Reaves , he had a grade two oblique strain, suffered in early April. I’m told there is optimism he’s going to be able to make it back into the lineup for game 5. Barring any setbacks, he’s going to be a game time decision,” said Charania, per ESPN on YouTube, via Hoopshype. “… Luka Doncic , though, is expected to miss the entire series, and there is hope as he progresses in his on-court workouts, he just started that.”
Reaves had been listed as questionable for the last couple of games for Los Angeles but ended up playing neither of them. The Lakers found a way to win Game 3 in improbable fashion on the road last Friday, but the good fortune ran out on Sunday in Game 4, with LeBron James looking like a 41 year-old for the first time in the series.
Reaves would certainly help minimize the pressure on James to create on offense for the Lakers, and possibly allow him to conserve more energy to expend on the defensive end of the floor as well.
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While the Doncic update isn’t an encouraging one, having Reaves back should be enough to help the Lakers avoid becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 lead.
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