Last we heard, Austin Reaves was “further along” than Luka Doncic in the rehab process and could feature late in Round 1. But before Game 3, the Los Angeles Lakers star received a significant update that could further boost the Purple and Gold’s chances.

“The Lakers list Austin Reaves as questionable tomorrow versus the Rockets. So he has been upgraded to questionable,” Trevor Lane gleefully stated on the Lakers Nation YouTube channel. “He’s been dealing with a left oblique muscle strain… The Lakers did have practice today, but I am shocked that he’s already been upgraded to questionable. Now, of course, this does not mean that Austin is going to play. Questionable does not mean that he is officially back, but this is a huge step forward in terms of the progression, and the return to play to now be considered questionable to participate in tomorrow’s Game 3.”

Reaves was expected to be out for four weeks, but now he is back in just the third week. On the other hand, the previous update from ESPN’s Shams Charania stated that the Lakers were “not expecting” Doncic to return in Round 1. Two days ago, AR had started 1-on-1 on-court work. But he needed to build fitness with 3-on-3 and 5-on-5, targeting a return late in Round 1 or early in Round 2 if LA advances. On Monday, Reaves, alongside Doncic, underwent training with minimal physical load. They did a light on-court session, working through non-contact shooting drills, such as free throws.

Both suffered Grade 2 strains: Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique). The duo hasn’t played a single game since April 2. Before getting sidelined, Reaves pushed through the oblique issue in the second half of the OKC game and kept playing. He played until the final whistle, and that’s why the Grade 2 strain was a shocker. The 27-year-old averaged a career-best 23.3 points in the regular season, shooting 49% from the field (36% from 3), with 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. While there’s optimism about his return, Doncic will most certainly miss the Rockets series. But has the overseas treatment helped at all?

The Slovenian’s trip to Spain for treatment briefly raised hope, but the Lakers now view his hamstring strain as too unpredictable. Without Reaves and Doncic, L.A. finished the regular season 3-2 and finished as the No. 4 seed. Backup forward Jake LaRavia is now also dealing with a “very low grade, minor” right ankle sprain that he suffered in Game 2. Fortunately, Redick announced that LaRavia’s MRI on his ankle came back clean, so he was not listed on the injury report.

Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets would be biting their nails as a Kevin Durant development goes sideways. The two-time Finals MVP is questionable for tomorrow’s game with a left ankle sprain after already missing Game 1 due to a dodgy knee. This further boosts the Lakers’ chances to go 3-0 up in the series.

Where can a returning Austin Reaves fit into the lineup?

Before his injury, Austin Reaves was the second star on the squad, as he pushed LeBron James to the third spot. But during the final stretch, King James was back as the #1 option and will remain so until Reaves and Luka Doncic are 100% ready to start. Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Luke Kennard picked up the slack as LA comfortably sits with a 2-0 lead. While the advantage exists, there is still a lot to be desired. Reaves plugs that hole.

When he plays, he would most certainly be on a minutes restriction, and will most probably step in during the non-LeBron minutes to steady that ship, serving not just as a shot maker but as a facilitator as well. Without James, the Lakers have a minus 8.9 per 100 possessions. Smart and Kennard have done a decent job so far, but Reaves delivers far better results. Plus, he is a guy who can get to the bucket and score.

In Game 2, the bench scored only 6 points as Vanderbilt, LaRavia, Hayes, and Bronny combined to go 1-for-8 from the field. That’s why the overall addition of Reaves will be welcomed.