In a 24-hour span, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out for the rest of the Lakers’ season. Doncic is dealing with a grade 2 hamstring strain, while Reaves is nursing a grade 2 left oblique muscle injury.
According to multiple sources, both Doncic and Reaves are expected to miss the first round of the playoffs. This does not bode well for the postseason aspirations of the Lakers, who were hoping to get deeper into the playoffs after their first-round exit last year.
During the 2025 playoffs, the Lakers had homecourt advantage over the sixth seed Minnesota Timberwolves. With Doncic, Reaves, and LeBron James all in the lineup, the Lakers found themselves on the wrong end of a gentleman’s sweep. In the end, the Wolves’ combination of length and athleticism was too much for the purple and gold squad to overcome.
With Doncic and Reaves highly unlikely to suit up in the first round, LeBron James will have to take on a bigger role in terms of both scoring and playmaking. Not since the Lakers’ pre-Anthony Davis era has LBJ shouldered so much of the load on offense.
James has performed Herculean feats in his personal playoff history, but at 41 years old, he might respond directly to the physical toll of another potential matchup with the Timberwolves.
“There’s Enough That We Have”: JJ Redick Remains Confident in Lakers’ Playoff Chances Despite Absence of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves
Meanwhile, Lakers head coach JJ Redick believes that his team can withstand the absence of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in the first round. During a media availability this weekend, Redick name-dropped the players that his squad will be banking on.
“From a strategic, tactical standpoint, we obviously are gonna have to play a little bit differently. There’s enough that we have in that we can play through LeBron, play through Rui, play through DA.”
Redick added that the Lakers’ focus remains the same: to win their first-round series and go further than they went last year.
