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Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on December 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

The Los Angeles Lakers are playing the Houston Rockets in Game 3 of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on Friday night, in a matchup that will not feature star guard Austin Reaves.

Reaves had been out since early April with a grade 2 hamstring strain, but after being listed as questionable earlier in the day, he was later downgraded to out for Game 3, according to the latest injury updates.

Despite initial hopes, Reaves will now have to wait for his return and playoff debut this season. In the meantime, the Lakers announced their starting lineup and final injury report against the Rockets.

Lakers Starting Lineup For Game 3 vs Rockets

Before Game 3, the Lakers took to social media to announce their starting lineup for Friday night.

Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, and Deandre Ayton all got the nod as starters by head coach JJ Redick and his staff.

This has been the lineup the Lakers have used through the first two games of the playoff against the Rockets. Both Kennard and Smart have put together impressive, and even record-setting performances.

Still, it’s been James leading the way for Los Angeles to start the playoffs, and while there was hope Reaves would make an injury return, the Lakers are still in the driver’s seat in the series, and could see him back in Game 4.

Austin Reaves Injury Return For Game 3

While Reaves was questionable before Game 3, updates throughout the day signaled that he would make his injury return on Friday.

First, members of The Hoop Collective podcast speculated that with Reaves listed as questionable, it was almost a guarantee that he would suit up for the Lakers.

“Austin Reaves is gonna play Friday, barring some (pregame) setback,” Tim Bontemps said.

“Once they’re upgraded to questionable and they’ve been ramping up, it’s pretty rare to see a guy not be able to go, unless there’s some sort of road block right at the end,” Tim McMahon added.

Then, speaking on NBA Today, insiders Shams Charania reiterated that sentiment.

“He’s getting closer to coming back from a grade 2 oblique injury,” he said. “My understanding is that Austin Reaves is trying to play in Game 3 tonight, if not Game 3 then Game 4.”

Finally, before the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick had said that Reaves would go through warmups, and if things went well, he would be upgraded to available.

“JJ Redick says Austin Reaves will test things on court here in the next 15 minutes – decision after,” team insider Dan Woike wrote in a pregame post on X.

But despite all of that, Reaves was ruled out less than an hour before tipoff. As Charania had mentioned, instead of making his injury return on Friday in Game 3, Reaves will target Game 4 instead.

Reaves has only been out for just over three weeks, and with his four-to-six-week recovery timeline, coming back either in Game 3 or 4 would mean his return has been sped up.

 Lakers Injury Report Vs Rockets

Star player Luka Doncic remains out, as he and Reaves are the only two listed on the Lakers’ injury report. Doncic is not expected to play in the series, but could very well return, should Los Angeles advance to the second round.

“The Lakers are not expecting Luka Doncic to be back in this series,” Charania said previously. “He is out indefinitely.”

Doncic has been seen doing light on-court work for the Lakers, but as Redick has also said, he remains sidelined, without an official return timeline.

Additionally, in what is more good news for the Lakers, Kevin Durant has been ruled out for Game 3 with a lingering ankle injury. He was previously a game-time decision, but later it was confirmed that he wouldn’t play in what is a must-win game for the Rockets.

While there was a growing hope that Reaves would play in Game 3, he’ll now have to wait to make his playoff debut for the Lakers this postseason.

Lakers vs Rockets tips off on Friday, April 24, at  5 pm PST and will be live on Amazon Prime Video.