Lakers need to address Austin Reaves situation to preserve home-court advantage.
The Lakers must ensure Reaves is fully recovered, or they risk losing their home-court advantage.
The Los Angeles Lakers have made significant strides in the 2024-25 regular season. The bulk of the credit goes to stars like Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and JJ Redick, as well as the team’s innovative head coach, who have all taken center stage.
However, Los Angeles wouldn’t be near the top of the Western Conference without Austin Reaves, which makes his recent performances even more concerning.
The key issue is that Reaves recently dealt with a calf injury that sidelined him for two games. He’s played in the last three games for the Lakers, but his level of play has raised doubts about whether he returned too soon.
Reaves shot 2-of-13 in his first game back, 5-of-12 in the second, and 3-of-14 in a narrow loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
It was expected that Reaves would struggle to regain his form after suffering a calf injury, which is often difficult to recover from. Still, it’s notable that he posted 17 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds against the Nets, consistently getting to the free-throw line to make an impact.
If Reaves can’t return to the high level of play he exhibited before the injury, the Lakers may struggle to finish what has otherwise been an excellent season
Austin Reaves shooting 25.6% since calf injury return
Reaves has been a crucial part of the Lakers’ success in 2024-25. The team outperforms opponents by 3.5 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor, while they are outscored by 1.3 points without him.
Beyond those statistics, there’s a clear link between Reaves playing aggressively and the Lakers winning games.
Los Angeles holds a remarkable 19-3 record when Reaves scores at least 20 points this season. The Lakers are also 25-11 when he attempts 13 or more shots and 5-1 when he scores 18 points.
While these numbers might seem arbitrary, the fact remains: the Lakers win when Reaves is an aggressive scorer
With LeBron James sidelined due to a groin injury, the Lakers need Reaves to step up more than ever. Adding to the challenge, starting forward Rui Hachimura is also out, leaving little room for patience.
Although there’s a learning curve for Reaves as he adapts to playing with Doncic and without James, the pressure is high.
Fortunately, the injury is just a temporary setback in Reaves’ journey toward becoming a star. Between Christmas Day and February 27—the day before his injury—he averaged 21.3 points, 7.1 assists, and 2.5 three-pointers per game over 28 contests.
If Reaves can return to that level of production, the Lakers may still manage to overcome the absences of Hachimura and James. Otherwise, they could lose their home-court advantage sooner than expected.