Many feared the worst-case scenario after Austin Reaves’ urgent return in Round 1. And frustratingly, we got a glimpse of that last night. Just days ago, he was struggling and couldn’t pull his team out of the mud in Game 5. It was soon quite clear that he needed to fire in the next matchup. Well, he again ended up with a modest stat line, but a late-game incident during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 98-78 win over the Houston Rockets has left Reaves’ status in doubt.

This was only his second game back since suffering a Grade 2 oblique injury right before the end of the regular season. The fear of him aggravating the injury, needing more rest, or getting hard-fouled was always going to be there. While many wished for his quick return, everyone was shocked when clips of Reaves shooting hoops in practice surfaced around Game 1 itself. It led to the common thought that his return was dangerously fast-tracked by the medics. Well, the inevitable has now happened, and that’s why the internet’s ire is on Amen Thompson despite the Rockets’ elimination.

With 5:03 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Lakers holding a comfortable 86-62 lead, the Rockets forward was involved in an unnecessarily aggressive sequence. As both players jockeyed for position under the post, Thompson appeared to grab Reaves’ arm and violently yank him to the floor. And he did so with the referee clearly seeing the play. The force of the pull left Reaves grimacing on the hardwood, and Thompson was hit with a loose-ball foul.

Reaves eventually stood up and hobbled back to the bench with an awkward gait, which commentators noted that his “left arm was hanging a bit.” But he did not return to the hardwood, and head coach JJ Redick went on to empty the bench for the remaining minutes. This play in question was two-fold, though. Thompson then collided with Luke Kennard, causing the Lakers guard to lose his balance in a move that critics described as a reckless shot to the knees.

The injury scare is particularly devastating given the grueling road Reaves traveled to be available for this postseason. He left Game 6 with 15 points, three rebounds, and two assists while shooting 7 of 14 and not making a single three-point shot on the night. Despite Reaves not being a standout, LeBron James stayed in control and delivered his most impactful stretch, scoring 14 points in the second quarter and putting the Lakers back in the driver’s seat.

Right after the game, Reaves detailed the effort he put into his rehabilitation, stating, “There was days I left my house at 7:30 in the morning and didn’t get home until 7:30 or later at night.” The biggest hint that he’d be back in the first unit for Game 6 was when he had replaced Kennard to open the second half in his return game on Wednesday.

Despite that dedication, however, Reaves walked around awkwardly while clutching his right thigh after Thompson violently dropped him. The Purple and Gold scorer immediately began icing the area, but his fanbase definitely had no chill after that incident, launching a straight-up attack on the Houston player.

Amen Thompson called a “sore loser” after shoving Austin Reaves; is the Lakers star out?

Amen Thompson’s aggression during a 20-point deficit was not well-received online, with Lakers fans condemning the Rockets’ rookie for what they perceived as a lack of composure in a blowout. One frustrated fan vented, “dirty a– b—- 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️ that’s why HOU will only be known for their clubs and not basketball team,” highlighting the reputational damage such plays can cause.

They also brought in Amen’s twin, Ausar Thompson, who had 4 points today as the Pistons emphatically tied the series with the Orlando Magic. “The man who decided to return home earlier than his younger brother,” they said about Amen, taunting him for his late-game antics.

The frustration extended to the officiating crew, who opted NOT to assess a flagrant foul on the play, leading another spectator to remark, “So, no fragrant foul for that dirty as play but kicked out LA player for slipping 🤔 NBA refs are a joke. What a dirty team and a refs.” Note: Scott Foster was announced to the officiating crew for this game, so fans went into it already blaming the refs for everything. That’s also because the Rockets are 4-1 when Foster officiates their games this season.

While Foster, too, received some very explicit remarks, it was the nature of Thompson’s consecutive hits on Reaves and Kennard that caused outrage. One viewer pointed out the perceived intent, noting, “Bro Amen just yanks Austin Reaves arm aggressively then goes for Kennards knees for no reason wow…” Now, the weird part is that the Knicks-Hawks game saw a similar arm yanking motion between Dyson Daniels and Mitchell Robinson. Both of them then got into a scuffle and were immediately ejected… So, why the different ruling in this game then?

This sentiment was echoed by those who felt the intensity had crossed a professional line, with one fan raging, “Playoff intensity is one thing… that was extra 😤.”

Many attributed the outburst to the lopsided scoreboard, labeling Thompson a “Sore loser. Amen knew it was over so he was doing this down 20 just get some thing back.” Such tags continued to be attached to the Rockets after Alperen Sengun was pictured not participating in the customary handshake after the final whistle. He simply blazed past Reaves and disappeared into oblivion.

As the Lakers look ahead to the second round, the mounting injury list remains the primary concern. With the earlier news that “Confirmed that Luka won’t come back for their series against OKC and now reaves is injured,” the anxiety in LA is palpable. OKC has served LA two back-to-back blowout losses with and without Reaves and Luka Doncic. And them going against the defending champs in the Western Conference Semifinals, potentially shorthanded, is a logical fear.

While some skeptics attempted to downplay the severity, claiming, “Lol he isn’t injured he was cramping. Unathletic casual,” the sight of Reaves limping to the bench was enough to worry the faithful. With the physical threat of the Thunder looming, fans are already bracing for much more contact with OKC’s own brute force. “I’m not ready for Lu Dort tryna end careers man.”

We await any medical updates on Reaves.