LOS ANGELES – When the Los Angeles Lakers resume the regular season this Friday against the LA Clippers, they will get good news on the injury front. Lakers head coach JJ Redick noted during team practice on Thursday that Austin Reaves, who has returned this month from a calf injury, is no longer on minutes restriction. Reaves' return to the lineup has been a big boost for the Lakers, and not just for his on-court play, but for his leadership as well.
Going back to last season, Redick has challenged Austin Reaves to take on a more leadership role with the Lakers. After Thursday's practice, Reeves talked about that ongoing development, and how interesting it has made becoming a leader.
"He [JJ] “Before last year and before this year, we had some meetings over the summer and he challenged me to get better in that aspect,” Reeves said. “I think it's an opportunity to really connect with everyone on the team. And learn not only about his basketball game, but as a person.”
"We've got a great group. Everyone loves being with each other. We've got some interesting people, Luca [Doncic] Being one of them," Reeves joked. "But it's fun getting to know these people and building real relationships. So when it comes to the court, they really trust what I do and what we do as a team.”
Reeves returned to the Lakers' lineup at the end of the Grammys road trip during their win against the Brooklyn Nets on February 2. After such a good game by his standards, he looked like the player who was in All-Star contention earlier this season when he scored 35 points in a win against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Since his return he had been on a minutes restriction, meanwhile coming off the bench. But now that the ban has been lifted after the All-Star break, it is possible that he returns to the starting lineup against the Clippers.
Reeves has appeared in a total of 28 games so far this season, averaging a little over 33 minutes per game. He averaged career-highs of 25.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.0 steals while splitting 50.8 percent shooting from the field, 36.3 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 86.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
In his most recent game, in a win against the Dallas Mavericks just before the break, he finished with 18 points, four rebounds and six assists in 28 minutes.
