The Los Angeles Lakers are optimistic that guard Austin Reaves will return to the lineup for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Houston Rockets, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.
Reaves has missed all four games of the first-round series and the final five regular-season contests due to a Grade 2 oblique strain.
The 27-year-old will be a game-time decision for the third straight contest, Charania adds.
Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on 49% shooting in 51 appearances for Los Angeles this season and ranked second on the team in scoring. Luka Doncic, the Lakers' leading scorer, has also missed the series because of a hamstring injury and doesn't have a return timeline.
Despite the absences of their two leading scorers, the Lakers have raced out to a 3-1 series lead ahead of Wednesday's meeting in Los Angeles.
LeBron James has been paramount to the team's playoff success, averaging a team-high 21.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.5 steals across four games. Luke Kennard has also supplemented the scoring in the absence of Reaves and Doncic, posting 17.8 points per contest on 52.2% shooting and a 45% clip from deep on five attempts per game.
