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Luka Doncic hamstring strain was worse than initially diagnosed
The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, but uncertainty continues to surround the status of Luka Doncic after his late-season injury.
Doncic suffered a left hamstring strain on April 2, and the team initially classified it as a Grade 2 injury. He subsequently traveled to Spain to undergo advanced treatment, including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell-based therapies, in an effort to accelerate recovery ahead of the postseason.
However, a new update has raised additional concerns. According to Luka Stucin, via a report shared by Iztok Franko on the Arena Sport Slovenia podcast, “treatment in Spain showed Luka’s hamstring strain was probably worse than initially diagnosed.” The development introduces further uncertainty just days before the playoffs begin.
Luka Doncic Injury Timeline Clouds Los Angeles Lakers Playoff Outlook
GettyLos Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic
The Lakers had already been preparing for the possibility of being without Doncic at the start of their playoff series. A typical Grade 2 hamstring strain requires approximately four to six weeks of recovery, according to RotoWire analyst Jeff Stotts.
That timeline alone made a first-round return difficult. The latest update suggests the recovery process could be more complex than initially expected.
Doncic is expected to return to the United States for reevaluation after spending about a week in Europe receiving treatment, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. His status for Game 1 remains unclear, and there is no confirmed timetable for his return to game action.
The situation also coincides with another key absence. Austin Reaves is dealing with a Grade 2 oblique strain and is expected to miss most of the first round. Charania indicated that early May could be the earliest possible return window for Reaves.
With both players sidelined, the Lakers will enter the postseason with a significantly altered rotation.
Luka Doncic Scoring Title Highlights Dominant Lakers Season
GettyLos Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic
Despite the injury, Doncic completed one of the most productive seasons of his career. He led the league in scoring with 33.5 points per game across 64 appearances, finishing with a total of 2,143 points.
He outpaced Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in both scoring average and total points, even while playing four fewer games.
Doncic also averaged 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game, leading the Lakers in multiple statistical categories. His performance earned him his second scoring title in the last three seasons and placed him among a small group of players in franchise history to achieve the feat, alongside Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Jerry West.
At 27, he became just the fourth player in Lakers history to lead the NBA in scoring.
The Lakers will now have to navigate the opening round without clarity on his availability. The team secured the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and will host Game 1 against Houston, but Doncic’s absence shifts a larger share of the offensive responsibility to LeBron James.
Los Angeles enters the playoffs after a strong finish to the regular season, but faces a challenging matchup against a Houston team that finished 52-30.
For now, the focus remains on Doncic’s recovery timeline. With reevaluation pending and conflicting signals from early treatment results, the Lakers will begin their postseason run without certainty around one of their primary contributors.
Debayan Biswas is a sports writer covering the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He focuses on breaking news, trades, and player stories. His work has been featured by Athlon Sports and Pro Football and Sports Network, with republication across platforms including Yahoo Sports and Yardbarker. More about Debayan Biswas
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