Lakers' Austin Reaves trending toward return for Game 5

The Los Angeles Lakers may be getting a key piece back at just the right time.

There’s growing optimism that Austin Reaves could return for Game 5 against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night after missing about four weeks with a Grade 2 oblique strain, per ESPN. He’s officially a game-time decision again, but this time, there’s a little more belief behind it.

Reaves has steadily ramped things up. He’s gone from individual work to one-on-one sessions and now into group scrimmages over the past couple weeks. That’s usually the final hurdle.

He hasn’t played since April 2, missing the last five regular-season games and the first four of this series. The Lakers haven’t exactly needed him to stay afloat, building a 3-1 lead with a chance to close things out at home.

Still, getting him back wouldn’t hurt.

Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists this season while shooting 49 percent from the field and 36 percent from deep. He’s been a steady third option all year, and in stretches, even more than that.

Also worth noting, Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a hamstring injury of his own, also suffered April 2. So if Reaves can go, it gives the Lakers another ball-handler and scorer as they try to finish this thing off.

Game 5 tips off at 10 p.m. ET.