Austin Reaves upgraded to probable vs. Knicks

Austin Reaves has missed two games due to a calf strain and could make his return for the Lakers against the Knicks on Thursday.

The Lakers have been short-handed lately with two starters, Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves, out of the lineup.

Hachimura is dealing with left patellar tendinopathy and will be re-evaluated this week, but Reaves could be returning from his calf strain for Thursday’s game against the Knicks.

The team upgraded him to probable for the final game of the homestand.

This calf injury started on the final game of February when Reaves exited the game with calf soreness. He was listed as day-to-day and has missed the past two contests. If he returns on Thursday to play and suffers no further setbacks, that’s a huge relief for both Reaves and the Lakers.

Reaves has emerged as an elite ball-handler and offensive initiator for the Lakers. He averages 19.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.

Despite his absence in the last two matchups, the Lakers have extended their winning streak to a season-high seven games.

However, the Knicks are, on paper, a far better team than the Lakers’ last two opponents, the Clippers and the Pelicans. So, having Reaves play provides LA the best chance of defeating New York and pushing their NBA-best win streak to eight.

Reaves is far too important to this team to miss a lot of time during this stretch of the season. Ideally, he’ll get as many reps as possible with LeBron James and Luka Dončić so they can get ready for the postseason.

LeBron and Luka are also probable to play, so hopefully, the entire trio is cleared for action. Reaves’ potential return is the most important update on this report, but we’ve also gotten some good news on Jordan Goodwin.

The two-way player has been upgraded from out to questionable with a right ankle sprain. While he’s not as likely to suit up for the purple and gold on Thursday, it’s a step in the right direction, and it is encouraging to see the Lakers inching back to full health as March begins.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.