BROOKLYN, Feb. 3, 2026 – Austin Reaves made an immediate impact in his return to the court Tuesday night, scoring 15 points as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 125-109.The Lakers guard had been sidelined for five weeks due to a strained left calf, and his presence was clearly felt as the team finished a grueling eight-game road trip.
reaves Returns, Sparks Lakers to Victory
After a five-week absence due to a calf strain, Lakers guard Austin Reaves provided a meaningful boost in a 125-109 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
- Austin Reaves returned to the Lakers lineup after a five-week absence with a strained left calf.
- Reaves scored 15 points in 21 minutes off the bench, playing under a minutes restriction.
- LeBron james led the Lakers with 25 points, praising Reaves’ impact despite limited playing time.
- The Lakers finished their eight-game road trip with a 5-3 record, boosted by Reaves’ return.
Reaves,who came off the bench,shot 3-for-9 from the field,adding four rebounds and two steals in 21 minutes. Coach JJ Redick managed his minutes, limiting him well below his season average of 35.3 minutes per game.
“Sitting on the bench sucks,” Reaves said with a grin. “I think all I did for the month-and-a-half was yell at the refs. Its no fun. It’s better to yell at them on the court. But it’s good to be back out there and run around, feel the energy and play the game I love.”
Did you know? Austin Reaves was enjoying a career season before his injury, averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Redick emphasized Reaves’ importance to the team before the game. “I think we’ve missed him in every facet,” he said. “Both as an on-ball player,off-ball player,a connector,leadership on the court,competitive spirit — competitive spirit defensively. So, he’s an All-Star-level player, and of course, you’re going to miss him in a number of ways.”
The 27-year-old Reaves initially tweaked his left calf on dec. 10 during a 132-119 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He than suffered a separate strain to the same calf on Christmas Day in a 119-96 loss to the Houston Rockets. Prior to the injuries, Reaves was shooting 50.7% from the field.
The Lakers went 10-9 during Reaves’ absence.
lebron James, who led the Lakers with 25 points against the Nets, acknowledged Reaves’ impact despite the limited minutes. “It was just a boost for all of us, especially at the end of a road trip, to get a guy like that back,” James said. “Obviously his rhythm is a little off,but s—,he still made an impact and I’m just happy to have him back.”
Reaves had considered returning Sunday against the New York Knicks but ultimately decided to wait for Tuesday’s game against Brooklyn. “I wanted to make sure I was 100% good,” he explained. “Really wanted to play the other night against the Knicks. Love playing there. Wish I could have been able to get out there and help the team, but just didn’t feel right and woke up this morning and felt really good and gave it the go right before the game and had fun.”
