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Dave McMenamin
Multiple Authors
Austin Reaves, who has been sidelined because of a Grade 2 left oblique strain, was upgraded to questionable for Game 3 of the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets, while Rockets star Kevin Durant was listed as questionable because of a sprained left ankle, it was announced Thursday.
Reeves suffered the injury in L.A.’s 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2. In the same game, Luka Doncic suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. Doncic is listed as out for Game 3.
Reaves began his return-to-play program earlier this week, starting with 1-on-1 on-court work Tuesday, Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
Reaves, 27, averaged a career-best 23.3 points during the regular season, shooting 49% from the field (36% from 3), with 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals.
Durant, 37, missed Game 1 of the series because of a right knee contusion.
He returned for Game 2 and led Houston with 23 points on 7-for-12 shooting in 41 minutes, but the Lakers won 101-94 to go up 2-0 in the series. Durant struggled in the second half Tuesday, scoring just three points on 1-for-5 shooting and committing five of his career postseason-worst nine turnovers after the break.
Without Reaves and Doncic, L.A. finished the regular season 3-2, falling from the No. 3 spot to No. 4 in the Western Conference playoffs bracket, setting up a series against the No. 5 Rockets.
Lakers backup forward Jake LaRavia is also dealing with a “very low grade, minor” right ankle sprain suffered in Game 2, Redick said after practice Thursday before the team’s flight to Houston. Redick added that an MRI on LaRavia’s ankle came back clean, and LaRavia was not listed on the injury report for Game 3.
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