Is Austin Reaves playing tonight? Los Angeles Lakers guard listed questionable for Game 3 vs Houston Rockets

The NBA Playoffs have officially begun, and as the first round moves locations, the passion is building to a fever pitch. Six of the eight series are locked in close contests as of last night.

Both the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Knicks and Nuggets in a crucial Game 3 victory.With a 2-1 advantage, they were in a strong position to go back on the road and try to win. SG Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers is presently listed as questionable for Friday's NBA playoff game between the Lakers and Rockets on Prime Video at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Austin Reaves recovery timeline explained as Los Angeles Lakers manage his return vs. the Houston Rockets

The Lakers have won their first two games without Austin Reaves, their main scorer, defying the odds.

Since April 2, he has been out of commission. The NBA's top scorer (33.5 PPG) is predicted to miss the rest of the first round due to Reaves' devastating loss. But there is a ray of hope for Austin Reaves. Reaves is recuperating much more quickly than Doncic and is listed as questionable for tonight's Game 3 in Houston. He is expected to return for Game 5 in Los Angeles even if he misses the two-game stay in Texas. After sustaining the injury on April 2, he has missed the entire postseason thus far, but his recent improvement shows that he is getting better.

The guard is making well in his rehabilitation and has already resumed playing on the floor. His predicament has emerged as one of the series' central narratives, particularly in light of the Lakers' 2-0 lead despite his absence. Depending on how he reacts, a final decision is anticipated closer to tip-off in Game 3.

Given Reaves' career-high, his return is crucial to relieving pressure on the rotation. However, in order to prevent any setbacks at a crucial period of the season, the Lakers have adopted a careful approach, keeping him inactive through the early playoff games because oblique injuries are especially sensitive and quick to aggravate. Although Reaves has been out of the lineup for a few weeks due to an oblique injury, Los Angeles Lakers SG Austin Reaves is making progress toward a possible comeback. The NBA's injury report states that Reaves is formally labeled as questionable for Friday's game against the Rockets. Since the Lakers' 139-96 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, the guard has been sidelined due to a Grade 2 left oblique strain.

For Game 3, Reaves was upgraded to doubtful.Reaves might return in Game 3 or Game 4 if he is unable to play on Friday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Lakers head coach JJ Redick reportedly told ESPN's Dave McMenamin that Reaves started his return-to-play program earlier this week and took part in one-on-one court work on Tuesday.Reaves has averaged 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and a career-high 23.3 points per game. The guard for the Lakers made 36.0% of his shots from beyond the arc.