Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves returned to action Thursday after recovering from a minor ankle injury, helping his team defeat the Sacramento Kings 114-110 at Crypto.com Arena.
Reaves had been sidelined since suffering the injury during practice last week. Although he could have returned earlier, the Lakers chose to take a cautious approach during the preseason.
“There was a chance he might be able to play in either of those games in Northern California,” Coach JJ Redick said of Reaves ahead of the Lakers’ 114-110 win over the Kings at Crypto.com Arena. “We knew it’d be sometime this week.”
In his preseason debut, Reaves recorded eight points, eight assists and five rebounds in 25 minutes. He struggled with his shooting, making just two of his seven field-goal attempts, but contributed as a playmaker.
Redick was satisfied with the guard’s overall performance, particularly his ability to organize the offense.
“Obviously very nice to have Austin out there,” Redick said. “He did a great job [of] play-making and played overall just a nice floor game.”
Reaves’ return also provided an opportunity for the Lakers to evaluate their backcourt as they prepare for the regular season.
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The 28-year-old guard signed a four-year, $180 million contract during the offseason and is expected to remain a central part of Los Angeles’ offense alongside Luka Doncic.
The Lakers have two preseason games remaining before opening the regular season against the Golden State Warriors on October 21.
