In his first game since April 2, Austin Reaves contributed significantly off the bench with 22 points in the Lakers’ Game 5 loss to the Rockets. Despite shooting 4-of-16 from the field, Reaves excelled at the free-throw line and could reclaim a starting spot for Game 6 following Luke Kennard’s underwhelming performance. The Lakers face crucial lineup decisions ahead of Friday’s matchup, needing improved contributions to avoid elimination.