The Los Angeles Lakers have been without star player Luka Doncic for the past few weeks after he suffered a grade 2 hamstring strain in early April.
Doncic has missed the start of the Lakers’ playoff series against the Houston Rockets, and while there was hope of an injury return coming at some point soon, based on the latest update, that is still uncertain.
The Lakers beat the Rockets in Game 1 of the first-round series despite not having Doncic or Austin Reaves in the matchup. Now, in the lead-up to Game 2, Los Angeles announced new updates on both, but they’ll each still miss the upcoming contest.
Lakers Announce Luka Doncic Injury Update Amid Return Rumors
Doncic remains out for the Lakers for Game 2. However, before the game, head coach JJ Redick offered an update on the Slovenian star.
“Redick added that Luka Doncic is preparing to begin his return to play progression and there is no timeline update on Doncic, either,” Dave McMenamin wrote in a post on X, after Redick revealed an update on Reaves.
Lakers insiders Jovan Buha and Dan Woike offered similar updates, per Redick’s pregame comments, but reiterated that while he is ramping up, there is still no timeline for Doncic to return.
After returning from his trip to Spain, which Doncic took in hopes of speeding up his return timeline from his hamstring injury, rumors have swirled of the star potentially getting back on the court sometime in the Lakers vs Rockets series.
However, after Redick’s comments, as well as an update from Shams Charania earlier in the day before Game 2, Doncic remains out for the time being, still with an indefinite timeline for a return.
“The sense around the Lakers is that Austin Reaves is actually the one that’s further along than Luka Doncic in their respective rehab processes. I am told Austin Reaves has started 1 on 1 on court work,” he said on NBA Today. “The Lakers are not expecting Luka Doncic to be back in this series. He is out indefinitely.”
Lakers Vs Rockets Game 2
Both Doncic are Reaves make up the Lakers’ injury report for Game 2 against the Rockets. While Los Angeles was dealing with some health concerns in the final few weeks of the season, outside of their two leading scorers, the Lakers are healthy for the second game of the series.
Kevin Durant missed Game 1, and his knee injury status was a leading question as the series carried on. However, according to Charania, Durant was listed as available for Game 2 against the Lakers, after being a game-time decision earlier in the day.
Los Angeles had a historic shooting night in Game 1, by way of some strong performances by LeBron James and Luke Kennard.
According to Zach Kram of ESPN, the Lakers recreating their historic shooting in Game 1 will be a tough task, but after the Durant news, they might need some more luck on their side for the rest of the series.
Still, the injuries and potential returns of Doncic and Reaves remain the biggest storylines in the series. While there was hope one or both could come back at some point, based on the latest updates, the Lakers’ shouldn’t except that.
The Lakers vs Rockets Game 2 tips off on Tuesday, April 21, at 7:30 pm PST and will be live on NBC and Peacock.
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