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Austin Reaves is averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game. He hasn’t played in a month due to injury.
After dropping two straight games, the Los Angeles Lakers responded in emphatic fashion on Thursday night, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 124-104.
LeBron James once again stole the spotlight, recording a 28-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. In doing so, he became the oldest player in NBA history to achieve the feat.
At 41 years and 44 days old, James surpassed the record previously held by Karl Malone.
After sitting out the second night of a back-to-back Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs for precautionary reasons, Austin Reaves continued ramping up his return from injury ahead of the All-Star break.
Lakers See Encouraging Signs From Austin Reaves
Reaves once again came off the bench but made his presence felt, finishing with 18 points, four rebounds, and six assists in the win over Dallas.
In 28 minutes, he shot 5-of-10 from the field, knocked down one three-pointer, and went 7-of-9 from the free-throw line.
The outing marked his fifth game back after missing 19 contests with a calf injury sustained in late December that sidelined him throughout January.
After the game, reporters asked Reaves how he was feeling as he continues to ramp up his workload.
“I feel great,” Reaves said. “I feel better when I’m on a golf course in the morning, but feel good right now. Legs are a little tired, but it’s part of getting back into basketball shape and playing real games.”
Since returning during the final game of the eight-game Grammy road trip on February 3, Reaves is averaging 20.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.0 steal per game while shooting 51.7% from the field and 34.8% from three-point range.
Notably, he has done so in just 25.4 minutes per contest off the bench, highlighting the Lakers’ measured approach as they ease him back into rhythm.
Caution Remains Amid Ongoing Injury Concerns
With Luka Doncic sidelined for the past four games due to a hamstring injury and Los Angeles navigating a season riddled with absences, the organization’s caution with Reaves comes as little surprise.
Many expected Reaves to return sooner after his initial four-week recovery timeline passed, but ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reiterated that the Lakers are prioritizing long-term health over short-term urgency.
“But they want to make sure he’s completely comfortable by the time he goes into the lineup,” McMenamin previously reported. “So it’s not like a stop-and-start type of situation, where he plays a game or two then needs to rest because that calf isn’t feeling fully right just yet.”
So far, Reaves has only missed the second night of a back-to-back, an understandable restriction. He now benefits from a seven-day break through the All-Star break before the Lakers return February 20 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Before his injury, Reaves was enjoying a career-best stretch, averaging 27.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.0 steal across a 22-game span.
He shot 50.4% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range, establishing himself as a central offensive figure alongside Doncic and James.
His continued health will be critical to any late-season push. Beyond that, his trajectory adds intrigue to the offseason, with Reaves holding the ability to opt out of his current deal and potentially command a significant raise on the open market.
Matt Evans is a sports journalist from the United Kingdom, based in Paris, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA and wider global sport. More about Matt Evans
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