It’s been a rough stretch for the Lakers, but things are about to get a little easier here, leading up to the NBA All-Star break. With the schedule now at its midway point, the Lakers need all the help they can get to stay afloat, and that includes veteran guard Austin Reaves, who has been out since Christmas with a grade two left calf strain.
In an update provided by JJ Redick before the game (via JJ Redick), he revealed that Reaves is making progress toward a return and expects him back at some point during the Lakers’ eight-game road trip. The All-Star guard was having the best season of his career before the setback, averaging a career-high 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 50.7% shooting and 36.5% shooting from three.
His absence has come with several other injuries this season, including to other key players like Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Deandre Ayton. Amid constant instability and ever-changing lineups, it’s been hard for JJ Redick to build any consistency, and the results have shown it with an up-and-down performance through the first 41 games. Lately, things have been getting downright ugly as the team has fallen several spots in the standings.
That’s why Reaves’ return comes at such a critical time. After opening the trip in Denver, the Lakers face one of their most demanding stretches of the season, with games against the Clippers, Mavericks, Bulls, Cavaliers, Wizards, Knicks, and Nets running from tonight all the way through February 3. That’s a daunting road slate that will likely determine the success of their season.
As for Reaves, his return will provide an important boost for a Lakers squad that’s teetering on the edge. At 25-16 (seventh in the West), every win matters, and every loss threatens to send them back on the wrong side of the play-in line. While the road ahead won’t be easy, it gets much easier with Reaves back in the fold and a healthy big three that the whole team can play around.
For now, the Lakers have to keep finding ways to stay afloat without him. Whether it’s in the next game or not until this final road game, the Lakers at least have a timetable for his return, and they can develop a plan to ensure they don’t lose too much ground until he’s ready to come back. What they do next is anyone’s guess, but they’ll have plenty of time to reassess and adjust after his recovery.
