Luka Doncic has watched on as his Los Angeles Lakers have taken care of business so far in the 2026 NBA playoffs.
The Lakers have rushed out to a 3-0 lead over the Rockets following Friday’s miraculous win that saw the final score seesaw in the final seconds.
L.A. was down six points with just around 30 seconds to play in regulation. If looked and felt all but over.
Then Marcus Smart Happened. LeBron James happened. And the Rockets happened … in all the worst imaginable ways.
What was supposed to be a sure-fired Lakers loss, the Rockets committed miscue upon miscue, giving their opponent a final chance to steal a road victory in remarkable fashion.
A James steal subsequently led to a James game-tying 3-pointer. Add another clutch bucket on the long list of his greatest postseason moments.
After a James catch-and-shoot 3-pointer that would’ve won the game for the Lakers rimmed out, the contest went into overtime. L.A. ultimately pulled out the victory by thoroughly outplaying Houston in the extra period.
GettyLeBron James looks on during the Lakers’ Game 3 comeback.
Now it seems the Lakers are destined for the Western Conference semifinals.
While the Rockets are destined for an earlier-than-expected vacation.
What Does this Mean for Luka Doncic?
It has meant nothing but positives for Doncic so far. The worst-case scenario would have been the Lakers struggling without him, raising the idea of the team potentially having to rush back its superstar before appropriate.
Doncic, 27, hasn’t played a game in 24 days. He incurred a Grade 2 hamstring strain in a 43-point shellacking to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2.
Stung by the timing of his injury, Doncic jetted across waters to Spain to seek specialized treatment on his hamstring. It is unclear the exact extent of Doncic’s injury, but he stayed abroad for about two weeks before joining the Lakers. If he is able to return sooner than expected, perhaps that’ll mean the treatment he received — stem cell therapy intended to promote accelerated healing of soft-tissue injuries — was worth the trip overseas.
It appears the Lakers are in line for a positive development on Doncic. According to the International Business Times, Doncic is pacing for a sooner-than-expected return. The original injury return timeline floated by several sources was 4-6 weeks.
“Insiders, including ESPN’s Shams Charania and Lakers reporter Dave McMenamin, report the most realistic target for Doncic’s return is early in a potential second-round series, possibly around early May.” the Times wrote. “That would put his absence at roughly four to five weeks from the original injury date — aligning with the lower end of typical recovery windows for similar injuries.”
A Chance to Punch Ticket to Round 2 as Star’s Return Nears
For as brutal the state of the Lakers just over three weeks, all seems to be trending in the opposite direction now.
L.A. has suddenly gone from the team “everyone wants to play” to the team perhaps no one wants to play.
The Lakers have stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the first round behind the steady presence of their new Big Three featuring James, Smart and Luke Kennard.
James has been the James of old, but how about Smart? The 32-year-old former Defensive Player of the Year has averaged over 20 points per game on better than 50% shooting from both the field and 3-point line. Through three games, he has had borderline Austin Reaves level production.
Who could’ve predicated that?
As Game 4 approaches, the Lakers would love to finish up the first round tonight and head back home with some ease and peace on their minds before facing a much tougher opponent in the second round.
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