Fifth-year guard Austin Reaves has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s contest at Washington, the Lakers announced on their injury report (Twitter link via Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times).
Reaves, who is expected to become a free agent this summer, has been out since December 25 after sustaining a Grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain. The gastrocnemius is the largest and most powerful muscle in the calf.
In 23 appearances this season (35.3 minutes per game), Reaves has averaged 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.0 steal on .502/.365/.873 shooting. He has missed the Lakers’ last 17 games (23 overall).
Reaves suffered a mild left calf strain on December 8 and returned to action on December 23. He experienced soreness in his calf in his second game back, with an MRI later confirming the second strain. While they seem likely to be connected, Reaves’ initial strain was reportedly to a different part of his calf, which is also comprised of the soleus and plantaris muscles.
Head coach JJ Redick announced a couple weeks ago that Reaves was “progressing well” from his injury and on track to return at some point on the Lakers’ eight-game road trip.
Los Angeles has gone 15-8 with Reaves in the lineup this season, vs. a 13-10 mark without him. The 27-year-old has some of the best on/off figures on the Lakers, though it’s a fairly small sample size since he’s missed half of the team’s games.
Star guard Luka Doncic, who slipped off the sidelines of the Cavaliers’ raised court in Wednesday’s blowout loss in Cleveland, is also questionable Friday due to left ankle soreness.