🏀 Will Austin Reaves Play Tonight vs. Rockets? Latest Update on Reaves’ Oblique Injury

With the Los Angeles Lakers looking to eliminate the Houston Rockets from the NBA playoffs in Game 5 of their first-round series, one question has serious betting implications: Will Austin Reaves play tonight?

The Lakers guard has been out with an oblique injury and has not played since April 2. Below, we’ll break down Reaves’ latest injury update, how his return affects the spread, his best player prop bets, and more.

🩺 Austin Reaves injury update: Latest status for Game 5

Follow all of our NBA analysis and expert predictions this season.

While Reaves is listed as questionable on the official NBA injury report at the time of publication, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported positive news for Lakers fans (and bettors) this afternoon.

Reaves is expected to suit up for the first time in almost four weeks. He averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists during the regular season, shooting 49% from the field and 36% from beyond the arc.

📊 Lakers vs. Rockets Game 5 odds: How Reaves' return moves the spread

Odds via DraftKings.

The Lakers opened as a 2.5-point betting favorite over the Rockets and were quickly bet up to -4.5 after news broke that Kevin Durant would miss Game 5.

After Shams reported that Reaves is expected to play, the line briefly moved back up to Lakers -4.5 (-115) before being bet down to -3.5 (-115) - the same number seen Tuesday morning.

Since Reaves was listed as a game-time decision in Game 4 (and ultimately did not suit up), it appears the market had already been pricing in his expected return ahead of today’s update.

🎯 Austin Reaves player props: Best bets and betting trends

Here’s a look at Reaves’ most popular player props ahead of Game 5, as well as how he has performed without Luka Doncic:

In 10 games without Doncic this season, Reaves has recorded a median of 23.5 points per game and has gone Over 16.5 points eight times. 

LeBron James is also expected to become more of a distributor - which is why I back James to record 8+ assists with my NBA player props tonight - leaving more opportunities for Reaves to go over this number.

Best bet: Austin Reaves Over 16.5 points (-120 via BetMGM)

🔥 Rockets vs. Lakers betting analysis: Can LA close the series?

See all of our experts' NBA picks based on the latest NBA odds for the playoffs.

The Lakers’ best moneyline odds are -167 at Pinnacle, while the Rockets’ best odds are +155 at theScore Bet. If we de-vig those numbers, we are left with the Lakers as a -160.9 favorite on the moneyline, which means the betting market (at the time of publication) is giving the Lakers a 61.67% chance to advance to the conference semifinals today.

I personally like the Lakers to win straight up - and cover -3.5 - as the Rockets having to face Reaves and the Lakers in L.A. without Durant should be a dream-killer for Houston, especially since they’re already down 3-1 in the series.

🏀 Lakers projected starting lineup

The Lakers have the seventh-shortest odds to win the NBA Finals.

The last time Reaves returned from an injury after missing more than three weeks - he was out from Christmas until Feb. 3 with a strained left calf - he played 21 minutes off the bench. While Reaves is expected to play more minutes in a high-leverage game for the Lakers today, coach JJ Redick may opt to bring him off the bench again.

Lakers projected starters: Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton

💡 More NBA expert picks tonight

• NBA player props tonight
• Magic vs. Pistons player props
• NBA play of the day: Raptors vs. Cavaliers
• Raptors vs. Cavaliers player props
• Rockets vs. Lakers player props
• Will Austin Reaves play tonight?