The LA Lakers suffered a serious blow on April 2 during their game against the OKC Thunder when Luka Doncic went down with an injury. It was later confirmed that the star guard had a Grade 2 strain in his left hamstring, and he traveled to Spain to focus on recovery.
Early on, many fans assumed this would keep Doncic out for the entire playoffs. Because of that uncertainty, the Lakers were listed as +550 underdogs heading into their first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets.
Now, there is a bit of optimism surrounding his return as NBA insider Marc Stein shared an encouraging update. Stein reported that after Doncic received injections in his injured hamstring, he is expected to rejoin the team before their series against the Rockets begins.
“The Lakers’ Luka Dončić, I’m told, is scheduled to rejoin the team in Los Angeles on Friday in advance of the Lakers’ first-round series against Houston after his recent trip to Madrid for treatment of his Grade 2 hamstring strain,” Marc Stein wrote on X.
Once Doncic gets back to Los Angeles, the team will re-evaluate his condition. Even with the positive update, it feels very unlikely that he’ll be ready in time for the first-round series. A more reasonable timeline points toward early May, which could line up with a potential second-round appearance if the Lakers make it that far.
With both Doncic and Austin Reaves expected to be out, and the Rockets coming in hot after winning nine of their last ten games, the odds are clearly stacked against the Lakers. It’s hard to see them winning the series or stretching it to a full seven games, which also reduces any real chance of Doncic making a surprise return in the opening round.
Luka Doncic wins the 2025-2026 scoring title
Luka Doncic was putting together a truly historic season before a devastating hamstring injury cut things short. He had been the driving force behind the Lakers’ offense, averaging an incredible 33.5 points per game.
Even after playing four fewer games than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Doncic still managed to outscore him in total points, finishing with a league-leading 2,143.
Other than winning the 2025-2026 scoring title, Doncic added 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game, leading the Lakers in all three categories, while also grabbing 7.7 rebounds.
Still, despite such a dominant season, there is a real chance he could end up outside the top three in MVP voting, with players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama in the contention ahead of him.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
