Lakers Injury Update: Anthony Davis to return Wednesday, Austin Reaves is ‘feeling good’

Jan 25, 2023 - 5:55 AM

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The Lakers treading water without Anthony Davis has been an impressive feat in its own right over the last month. That the back half of that stretch has also come without Lonnie Walker IV and Austin Reaves — two of the team’s five best players through the first half of the season — adds to the improbability of them being on the fringes of the playoff race still.

Davis’ return was been forecast over the last two to three weeks and we’ll have more on that in a moment, but Reaves also appears set to return to the lineup. Specifically, Reaves addressed when his return would come in a recent piece by Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

As he walked around the concourse, he was mobbed by fans asking for photos, autographs and when he’d be back on the floor. (Reaves has missed the last nine games with a left hamstring strain).

“Soon,” Reaves repeatedly said with a smile.

Reaves did provide some more concrete details about his timeline and where he stands in the rehab process as he works on returning from a tricky injury.

Reaves said his hamstring is progressing well. He sprinted for the first time on Monday, a solid step toward his impending return.

“We’re going forward, moving forward,” Reaves said of his injury. “Progress. Feeling good.”

The even better news is that Reaves responded well to his workout on Monday as he went through another one on Tuesday prior to the Lakers’ game against the Clippers.

There isn’t a hard deadline like there appears to be with Davis, but it certainly seems like Reaves is going to be following him closely in returning to the court.

As for AD, his return is imminent, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported that the All-Star big man will return to the floor for Wednesday’s matchup against the Spurs, and will have a minutes restriction:

Ahead of Tuesday’s game, Ham was playfully coy when it came to whether Davis would make his return Wednesday, noting instead that he would be reevaluated early in the day and a decision would be made then.

Ham struck a similar tone after the game:

There would be some value to having Davis return on Wednesday versus Saturday, namely in the level of competition. The Spurs at home on Wednesday represent a matchup against one of the worst teams in the league that the Lakers have already beaten three times.

On Saturday, the Lakers will be playing in Boston against a Celtics side that is one of the best in the league. And it’ll be the start of a tough road trip that will also see stops in New York, Brooklyn and New Orleans.

There is no bad time to welcome Davis back to the fold, but there are better times. Giving him a bit more of a warm-up game at home would be ideal. And barring a setback, it sounds like that’s exactly what the Lakers are going to do.

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