Austin Reaves returned to the Los Angeles Lakers in Tuesday’s matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. Head coach JJ Redick announced his availability shortly before tip-off.
Reaves, who has been sidelined with a Grade 2 left calf strain, hasn’t played for the Lakers since Christmas Day. Returning from a 19-game absence, the fifth-year guard came off the bench and Redick told reporters he would play under a minutes restriction.
Advertisement
“We’ve missed him in every facet,” said Redick, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “Both as an on-ball player, off-ball player, a connector, leadership on the court, competitive spirit — competitive spirit defensively.”
Reaves entered the game with 1:30 left in the first quarter following a timeout and the Lakers holding a 38-21 lead. His first points came at the end of the frame, making two free throws after drawing a foul on Nic Claxton.
Early in the second quarter, Reaves looked comfortable on the court, lobbing a pass off the backboard to LeBron James for a dunk.
[Subscribe to Yahoo Sports NBA on YouTube]
The Nets proved to be an ideal opponent for Reaves to work himself back in, trailing 69-40 at halftime. Reaves had 9 points on 2-of-6 shooting from the floor (0-for-3 on 3-pointers). He made all five of his free throws.
Advertisement
Reaves had been listed as questionable on the NBA injury report before each of the Lakers’ past three games. After going through pregame warmups, he said he wanted to play against the Nets, according to The Athletic’s Dan Woike.
Before his injury, Reaves had been averaging a career-high 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 23 games. He was shooting 37% on 170 3-point attempts.
Reaves, 27, sustained the injury during the second quarter of the Lakers’ Christmas Day 119-96 loss to the Houston Rockets. He did not return after halftime. A MRI revealed the Grade 2 strain and team officials said Reaves would be out for at least four weeks. Reaves eventually missed five weeks.
Advertisement
[Get more Lakers news: Los Angeles team feed]
Prior to the injury versus Houston, the fifth-year guard missed three games with a Grade 1 strain in a different part of his left calf. Before facing the Rockets, Reaves returned to play against the Phoenix Suns and was under a minutes restriction for those two games.