Never fear, “Hillbilly Kobe” is (almost) here.
Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves “expects to play” Game 5 against the Houston Rockets Wednesday, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Whether he’s good to go tonight or in the not-too-distant future, his return will give LA’s offense a much-needed lift despite pleasant surprises from a pair of veterans.
Austin Reaves’ Potential Return Affects Two Veteran Standouts
Wednesday marks nearly four weeks since Reaves went down with a Grade 2 oblique strain. He progressed through on-court work last week and was listed as questionable on the Apr. 23 injury report. After much anticipation toward a return in either Game 3 or Game 4, the Lakers ruled him out less than an hour before tipoff both times. The third chance may be the charm as LA eyes a “gentleman’s sweep,” with Reaves’ availability being pivotal after Sunday’s struggles.
In his first remarks to the media post-injury, Reaves admitted he has felt “miserable” watching from the sidelines.
“Just not having somewhat of a control on a game, just sitting over there with no hope that I can affect the game. Like obviously, I can talk and try to lead, from being over there but not really being on the court. It sucks. I think we’ve seen in the past when I get injured, I’ll do everything I can to get back as soon as I can, with still being safe at the same time.”
What Reaves’ Presence Means for Smart, Kennard
Reaves’ pending return directly impacts Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard, who have held down the fort with him and Luka Doncic (hamstring) sidelined. In addition to a lighter workload for each of them, their short but memorable time as the starting playoff backcourt will also come to an end.
Unless Redick goes full “basketball sicko” and starts three guards next to LeBron James and Deandre Ayton, it’s all but certain Kennard will head back to the bench for Reaves. The 29-year-old veteran has burst onto the scene this series, putting up 17.8 points per game while shooting 45% from deep.
Smart, who became a permanent starter just after the All-Star break, is a prime candidate to stay there because of his two-way effort and past playoff experience, among other factors. In the tenth postseason of his career, he has averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 assists, 3.5 steals and 2.0 blocks—all while shooting 50% from the field and 44% from three. He delivered an absolute masterclass Friday night, sending Laker fans into a frenzy with 21 points, ten assists, five steals and two blocks.
MARCUS SMART 🤝 MAGIC JOHNSON
Smart joins Johnson (3x) as the ONLY Lakers players to record 20+ PTS, 10+ AST, and 5+ STL in a postseason game since 1973-74 (the first season steals were fully recorded). https://t.co/skHKEke7MF pic.twitter.com/PpWQe8UdF4
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) April 25, 2026
As Laker fans wait for Doncic with bated breath, they can take comfort knowing that Reaves’ recovery is right on schedule.
Game 5 of the Lakers-Rockets series starts at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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