Austin Reaves returns from calf injury to play for first time since Christmas as Lakers beat Nets

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NEW YORK (AP) — Austin Reaves was bored. He would lift weights during the day, but all he could do during games was watch his Los Angeles Lakers from the bench.

“I think all I did for a month and a half was yell at the refs. So that’s no fun,” Reaves said. “It’s better to yell at them on the court.”

He finally got back on the floor Tuesday night for the first time since Christmas, helping the Lakers beat the Brooklyn Nets 125-109.

Reaves had missed the previous 19 games with a left calf strain. He came off the bench and scored 15 points in 21 minutes. The Lakers had the game well under control by the time he entered late in the first quarter, perhaps getting extra energy knowing that one of their best players was rejoining a team that has faced frequent absences.

“It was just a boost for all of us, especially at the end of a road trip, to get a guy like that back,” LeBron James said. “Obviously his rhythm is a little off but he still made an impact and just happy to have him back.”

Reaves was off to a terrific start to the season before he was sidelined. He missed three games with the injury in December, then was in just his second game back when he was hurt again against Houston on Dec. 25.

He came into Tuesday averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds, and coach JJ Redick said before the game the Lakers have missed the guard in every facet of the game.

“He's an All-Star-level player and of course you're going to miss him in a number of ways,” Redick said.

Reaves was listed as questionable to play Sunday against the Knicks and wanted to so he could play at Madison Square Garden, but just didn't feel ready. He said he woke up feeling better Tuesday and decided he would join the Lakers in the final game of their eight-game trip.

Redick said the Lakers have had their full complement of players only twice this season, and James said after the loss to the Knicks that Reaves' absence made it difficult to evaluate the team's potential.

“Unfortunately our All-Star 2-guard has been out for a minute and that’s a big piece of our team,” James said. “So it’s kind of hard to see what we can really, truly be.”

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