Austin Reaves remains indisposedas the Los Angeles Lakers guard continues to recuperate from a Grade 2 oblique sprain he suffered towards the end of the regular season. However, the status of Reaves has been curiously upgraded to questionable in LA's last two games, potentially a sign that he will be back in harness soon.

Despite his and Luka Dončić's absence, the Lakers have found a way to win against the Rockets. LeBron James has unsurprisingly stepped up and has gotten needed help from players like Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton.

But with the Rockets discovering newfound energy following their Game 4 win, will the Lakers finally place Reaves on the active roster before Game 5? With several days to go, that is a high probability.

Some pundits also believe that the chances of Austin Reaves returning in Game 5 are high. One of them is NBA insider Brett Siegel, pointing out the significant progress the Lakers guard has been showing in recent weeks.

'I would tend to believe the Lakers are feeling better about Austin Reaves' chances of being available for Game 5 in LA on Wednesday,' Siegel posted onX. 'He has not had any setbacks over the last week, as the team has been comfortable easing him and not rushing him back with how this series has gone.'

I would tend to believe the Lakers are feeing better about Austin Reaves’ chances of being available for Game 5 in LA on Wednesday.He has not had any setbacks over the last week, as the team has been comfortable easing him and not rushing him back with how this series has gone.

While Siegel's observations should be good news for Lakers fans, the question is whether the Purple and Gold need the 6-foot-5 guard to finish off the Rockets. The Game 4 loss was unfortunate although the Lakers were partly to blame.

Moreover, the Lakers had 24 turnovers in that game, eight coming from James himself. 'The King' admitted that he was partly to blame although hedidn't hold backon officiating.

Setting aside the Game 4 loss, the first three games saw a Lakers team proving they could get the job done even without Dončić and Reaves. Also, the Lakers are taking the wise approach of not rushing either player back into action.

For those who may be unaware, an oblique sprain normally requires four to six weeks of rest plus physical therapy. By Game 5, Reaves will reach the four-week minimum required to recover, although holding him off up to six weeks would be safer.

Source: International Business Times UK