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By Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Los Angeles Lakers took a 3-0 lead in their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets with an improbable comeback victory on Friday night.
Now, the No. 4 seed Lakers can close out the series in a Game 4 matchup against the No. 5 seed Rockets on Sunday.
Los Angeles mounted this 3-0 lead without each of its top two scorers: Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Doncic is not expected to return in the first-round, but Reaves is further along in his rehab process as he recovers from a Grade 2 oblique strain.
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Reaves was listed as questionable for Game 3, but was ultimately ruled out.
During a conference call with reporters on Saturday, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Reaves will participate in a shootaround session later this afternoon. The team will update Reaves' Game 4 status with an announcement at 5 p.m. local time in Houston.
Reaves sustained his oblique injury during a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2. He began his return-to-play program earlier this week, starting with 1-on-1 activity on Tuesday.
Through 51 regular-season games in 2025-26, Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points per game — shooting 49% from the field and 36% from behind the 3-point arc. The fifth-year player also averaged 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game as one of the Lakers' key contributors.
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The Game 4 matchup between the Lakers and Rockets will tipoff at 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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