MINNEAPOLIS — Austin Reaves was back in the Lakers’ lineup for Friday night’s road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing the previous five games with a bruised left pelvis.

“I feel good,” Reaves said after the team’s shootaround Friday morning. “I’ve been receiving treatment for about five hours a day for a week and a half. I feel really good.

Reaves suffered a pelvis injury during the Lakers’ November 29 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder after suffering a heavy fall during the second quarter.

He momentarily returned to the locker room during the final minutes of the second quarter, the entire half and the start of the third quarter against the Thunder before rejoining the team midway through the third and finishing that game before missing the next five from the Lakers.

“I was sore during the match, but I wanted to go out there and compete and try to win this match,” Reaves said. “And unfortunately, we didn’t.” I felt like it wasn’t beneficial for me or the group to go out and run on one leg.

Prior to this five-game absence, the fourth-year guard played in 129 consecutive regular season games from February 7, 2023 to November 7, 2023. 29, including playing in all 82 regular season games last season.

He has also played in 21 playoff games, two Play-In tournament games and the 2023-24 NBA Cup title game during that stretch.

“I was pissed, to be honest,” Reaves said. “I kind of wanted to continue that streak. I just want to be available to go on the field every night with the guys and go compete.

“But you find positives in everything and one of them was taking a week to not only recover from the current injury, but just to feel better overall. That’s what we did and I feel good.

The Lakers went 2-3 without Reaves, with their offense particularly struggling during his absence.

The team had an offensive rating (points scored per 100 possessions) of 103.8 during the five games Reaves missed, the third-worst mark in the league during that stretch. They had an offensive rating of 115.5 in their first 19 games with Reaves.

“He’s one of our best players and he’s able to give us momentum and rhythm in the half-court,” first-year Lakers coach JJ Redick said of Reaves . “Another playmaker, another ball handler. You need multiple ball handlers on the court every time you play the Timberwolves due to their wing defenders and pressure. And then, spiritually, he is a competitor. I can’t wait to have him back in the lineup.

UPDATE FROM JAMES

Star forward LeBron James missed his second straight game Friday as the Lakers ruled him out with left foot soreness after missing last Sunday’s home win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

James did not travel with the team to Minneapolis, with the team granting him an excused absence.

Redick said Wednesday that James had been away from the team in previous days for personal reasons, adding that James was “taking some time off.”

When asked before Friday’s game if he had any idea when James would join the team, Redick said “no.”

James’ name has been mentioned in trade rumors this week, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reporting Wednesday that the Golden State Warriors could target the four-time league MVP in a possible acquisition. James has a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he will have to approve any deal before it happens.

The Warriors considered acquiring James before last season’s trade deadline.

James, who turns 40 in 2 1/2 weeks, is averaging 23 points (49.5% shooting overall, 35.9% 3-point shooting), 9.1 assists and 8 rebounds in 35 minutes per game (23 matches).

If James returns to the court for Sunday’s home game against the Memphis Grizzlies, it will have been eight days between games after last playing in the Dec. 6 road loss to the Memphis Hawks. Atlanta.

Originally published: December 13, 2024 at 6:25 p.m. PST