Austin Reaves lit up courts early this season, dropping 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.2 boards per game over 23 outings, all personal bests that turned heads league-wide.
That momentum crashed on Christmas Day against Houston when a left calf grade 2 strain forced him out, sidelining the 27-year-old for 15 straight games by late January. Initial timelines pegged four weeks for re-evaluation, but cautious handling stretched it, as calf tweaks risk Achilles tears if rushed.
Reaves first nursed a similar issue in mid-December, missing a handful before suiting up briefly against Phoenix and the Rockets.
Lakers brass prioritized full recovery, watching him grind stay-ready scrimmages and 3-on-3 sets to mimic game speed. His knack for drawing fouls and slashing baselines left a void, especially as LA chased playoff seeding without the undrafted gem.
Fans buzzed online about trade whispers, but insiders dismissed them, eyeing extension talks instead. This setback hit amid a January skid where the squad hovered at 6-6, desperate for his steady hand.
Road Trip Timing Tests Patience
Coach JJ Redick dropped hope before the Dallas tilt on January 24, calling Reaves’ progress smooth with full-contact reps incoming Sunday.
A possible return lands Wednesday in Cleveland against the Cavaliers, fitting the eight-game Eastern swing through Chicago, Brooklyn, and more. Redick stressed no shortcuts, noting Reaves “looked like Austin” in sessions, a nod to his sharp handles and shot creation.
The Lakers felt every absence, shuffling lineups and leaning extra on Luka Dončić and LeBron James for buckets while guards scrambled.
Austin Reaves (Credit: ESPN)
Reaves’ return dodges award eligibility with too many games missed but bolsters playoff hunts in a tight four-way scrap for top-six spots. Optimism built from Toronto win vibes, where Redick hinted at health waves incoming.
Behind the scenes, Reaves posted workout clips, fueling hype for drives that punish defenses and ease superstar loads. His story echoes underdog arcs, from the Oklahoma bench to an LA staple.
Playoff Push Gets Its Spark Plug
January 25 updates peg Reaves is close, potentially suiting up mid-trip to ignite slumping rotations. Lakers brass views him as core; his foul-drawing prowess and 63-assist pace are key to deeper runs. Road foes like the Clippers and Mavs test depth, but his slot-filling eases pressure on stars grinding heavy minutes.
Reaves embodies grit, turning camp invites into stardom while mentoring rookies like Austin Thiero on the report. Full strength looms post-Clippers on the 22nd, priming trade deadline shakes by February 5. Squad eyes dynamic offense once he weaves back in, chasing Western crowns.
Every ramp-up rep counts now, with Reaves hungry to reclaim rhythm and drag LA upward. Teammates await the guard who flips games quietly, his bounce-back vibe pure fuel for the stretch run.
Baby Jane Hudson rules childhood stages in frilly curls, belting songs that pack theaters back in the 1910s. Her sister Blanche fades into shadows until cars crash and roles flip, leaving Jane a booze-soaked wreck tending her wheelchair-bound sibling in a rotting LA mansion.
Robert Aldrich directs this 1962 gut-punch, pulling $9.5 million from a $2.25 million budget and snagging five Oscar nods, including Davis’ fierce turn as the unhinged has-been.
Crowd-pleasers love the rat scene and beach finale where truth explodes amid gawking tourists. Aldrich cashes in on Davis and Crawford’s bad blood, rumours of real kicks during filming adding spice that tabloids ate up. The flick revives both stars’ stalls, proving audiences crave aged icons chewing scenery over fresh faces.
Studio heads notice quickly, greenlighting copycats that bank on veteran venom for profit. Critics split; some sniff camp, while others hail raw psychological barbs on fame’s cruel fade.
Feud Buzz Outlives the Screen
Davis campaigns hard against Crawford, banning Pepsi plugs on set tied to her rival’s board seat. Crawford counters by stacking Oscar voters with pals, sparking sabotage tales that explode post-premiere.
Books like Shaun Considine’s 1989 tell-all fan flames, later fueling Ryan Murphy’s 2017 Feud miniseries with Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange owning the venom.
Baby Jane (Credit: Amazon Prime Video)
Real-life barbs paint Crawford as a brace-wearing schemer and Davis as a wild kicker, turning premiere snubs into legend. Fans dissect every glare, from trailers where Davis mocks Crawford’s poise. This mess sells tickets, with Aldrich admitting the hate sells the hate.
Hollywood whispers persist, influencing biopics and docs that pick sides in the eternal catfight. Their beef cements the film as a feud bible, outshining plot twists.
Hagsploitation Heirs Keep It Campy
Post-Baby Jane, studios flood screens with “hag” horrors starring Stanwyck in Straight-Jacket, Winters in Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice, and Reynolds in What’s the Matter with Helen. These cash grabs hand fading divas axes and axes to grind, blending gore with faded glamour for drive-in dollars.
Friday the 13th nods to Betsy Palmer’s vengeful mom, while drags like Alaska parody it on RuPaul’s All Stars. Christina Aguilera borrows the persona in 2006, proving pop nods endure. The Library of Congress shelved it in 2021 as a cultural keeper, and screenings packed houses with queer crowds cheering Davis’ freakouts.
Remake talks fizzle since Walter Hill’s 2012 pitch, but TikTok clips and podcasts revive beach dances yearly. Jane’s sneer mocks ageism, flipping Hollywood’s youth worship into twisted triumph. New gens stream it, spotting parallels in influencer falls and sibling shade on reality TV.
Davis and Crawford vanished decades back, yet their mansion madness lingers, a blueprint for every unhinged aunt in chill flicks today. Baby Jane endures because it nails fame’s ugly underbelly with zero mercy.
