The Los Angeles Lakers announced that guard Austin Reaves is available to return on Tuesday night when they face the Phoenix Suns. Reaves missed the team’s last three games while dealing with a left calf strain.
It is certainly great news for Reaves and the Lakers as he has played at an All-Star level this season, averaging career-highs in points, rebounds and assists. One could argue he has been the Lakers’ most consistent player this season as he has had to step up on numerous occasions when Luka Doncic and LeBron James have been out due to injury.
That will be the case again against the Suns as Doncic will be out due to a lower leg contusion he suffered in the Lakers’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Additionally, the Lakers will also be without starting forward Rui Hachimura due to a groin strain and reserve guard Gabe Vincent, who remains out with lower back tightness.
The Lakers struggled to generate consistent offense against the Clippers and their worst shooting performance from deep. Reaves’ return will help to alleviate both of those issues as he will be able to ease the burden that was on James in creating for his Lakers teammates while also being one of the best 3-point shooters on the team, perhaps the best with Hachimura still out.
It will also help the Lakers to have big man Deandre Ayton back as his physical presence was missed on the block. He has also gotten more comfortable operating in the pick-and-roll alongside Reaves and will likely be motivated to dominate his former team once again.
This will be the third meeting this month between the Lakers and Suns and the games have been pretty tense largely due to the ongoing rivalry between James and Dillon Brooks. While LeBron has largely brushed this off and says he enjoys the competition, Brooks has continued to feed into the beef. Getting Reaves back in the lineup, who obviously has no problems jawing back and forth with opponents, should only make this contest that much more exciting.
JJ Redick always believed Austin Reaves could be All-Star
A strong performance from Reaves would only further solidify his bid to make the All-Star team for the first time in his career. And Lakers head coach JJ Redick not only believes Reaves is deserving, but always felt like he could be an All-Star in this league.
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