Austin Reaves upgraded to probable for Lakers vs. Wolves

After missing the last five games, Austin Reaves looks set to make his return for the Lakers on Friday against the Wolves.

The Lakers' week of rest appears set to pay off on Friday. Before returning to the court after four days off to take on the Wolves, Austin Reaves was upgraded to probable with a pelvic contusion.

Reaves has been out since taking a hard fall in the team’s loss to Oklahoma City on Nov. 29.

Last season, Reaves played in every game for the Lakers, from the regular season to the In-Season Tournament final to the playoffs. His absence in recent games, then, has been felt.

Reaves’ injury, combined with LeBron's absence on Sunday against the Blazers, meant six players on the regular roster were on the injury report and out. Without Reaves, the Lakers also went just 2-3.

Welcoming him back to the lineup will be big in any capacity, but particularly on Friday, when the team will be without LeBron. He did not play in the Lakers’ recent trip to Minnesota, a game they lost by 29 points. He also sat out their 41-point loss to Miami, and while his presence alone wouldn’t have changed either of those results, his absence was sorely felt.

It’s still a fairly soft part of the Lakers' schedule regarding travel and games. After Friday, they’ll return to Los Angeles to play the Grizzlies and then will be off until Thursday next week. It’s offered the team a much-needed chance to rest and recover, something head coach JJ Redick prioritized over the last week.

Reaves and LeBron — who will still miss Friday’s game in Minnesota — are the two closest to returning and, given his initial timeline, Jaxson Hayes won’t be too far behind. The Lakers badly need to go on another winning run and Reaves’ return hopefully is a spark to do just that.

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