The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in Game 2 in the first round of their playoff matchup to go 2-0 in the series despite not having leading scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
It was once again LeBron James and Luke Kennard leading the way for the Lakers, along with a historic performance from Marcus Smart. Along with those three, Los Angeles has seen elevated play from much of their rotation, and while they were not predicted to win the series without Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers are now in the driver’s seat for the rest of the first round.
While official injury return timelines for the two backcourt stars have yet to be announced, a new update on Reaves signals good news for the Lakers, and while Doncic remains out indefinitely, the more Los Angeles wins, the chances of them getting back at least one of them at some point in the postseason only rise.
Lakers’ Game 2 Win Increases Chances Of Austin Reaves Return
GettyAustin Reaves reacts during a Los Angeles Lakers game as the team faces a major offseason decision surrounding his free agency.
In the lead-up to the series and through the first two games, the Lakers have had hope that one or both of their star guards could return at some point with their respective muscle strains.
However, based on the latest update, both from insider Shams Charania and head coach JJ Redick, the indication is that Reaves could be closer to getting back on the court.
“The sense around the Lakers is that Austin Reaves is actually the one that’s further along than Luka Doncic in their respective rehab processes. I am told Austin Reaves has started 1 on 1 on court work,” Charania said on NBA Today. “The Lakers are not expecting Luka Doncic to be back in this series. He is out indefinitely.”
That, followed up by Redick’s comments, confirm Reaves is further along in his recovery timeline.
“JJ Redick confirmed that Austin Reaves has begun a return-to-play protocol on the practice court, but reiterated there is no change in his return timeline,” team insider Jovan Buha wrote from Redick’s pregame presser.
With that, the Lakers’ 2-0 lead only makes a Reaves return feel more likely. Los Angeles had hope that, as underdogs, if they extend the series that they could get him back. But now, up 2-0, they have firm control against the Rockets, and even if Houston can retie the series, that would guarantee at least a Game 6, which would line up with Reaves’ original return timeline.
Even more-so, if the Lakers can upset the Rockets and advance, the second round of the playoffs wouldn’t start for a few more weeks, giving Reaves and Doncic even more time to recover from their injuries.
Doncic’s timeline remains uncertain, but as Charania and Redick said, Reaves could be ramping up for a return soon, so every win the Lakers grab means their postseason run is going longer, only increasing the chances one or both of the stars will be able to come back after a full recovery.
Lakers Get Another Upset Win In Game 2, Up 2-0 on Rockets
James, Kennard, and Smart led the way for Los Angeles in Game 2, and despite the Rockets getting Kevin Durant back, strong performances by all three propelled the Southern California team to take a 2-0 series lead.
In the seven-point win, James finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, highlighted by a reserve dunk, for which he spoke about postgame, saying, “I don’t even know what that was about.”
Kennard had 23 points and six rebounds, but Smart’s 25 points, seven assists, and five steals were the highlight of the night. He is now the first player in Lakers history to have a playoff game with at least five steals and five made three-pointers.
Overall, the Lakers shot another solid 46% from both the field and from three-point range. It wasn’t their same historic shooting output from Game 1, but compared to the Rockets’ 40/29/79 shooting splits, it was enough to emerge with the 2-0 lead.
Every win Los Angeles gets in this series bodes well for a potential Doncic or Reaves return. The role players have stepped up, and at this point in the series, the Lakers have gone from underdogs to favorites, despite not having an average of 56 points per game with the two out.
After going up 2-0, and with the rising potential of the Lakers winning this series, a Reaves return should certainly be considered as in play. As for Doncic, his injury status remains unknown, but for both, as long as Los Angeles is extending their season, it’s good news for their chances of getting the two back.
Lakers’ Game 2 Win Signals Great News For Austin Reaves Injury Return