Luka Doncic remains out for the Los Angeles Lakers in their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets. But despite playing without the franchise star and Austin Reaves, the Lakers find themselves up 2-0 over the Rockets, quickly going from heavy underdogs to now favorites to win the series and advance to the second round.
Before the series began, head coach JJ Redick said he and the team would do their best to extend the series against Houston, in hopes of reaching Game 6 or 7 to give Doncic and Reaves a better chance of returning from their respective injuries.
But now, the Lakers are in the driver’s seat in the first round and have quickly gone from just hoping to see Doncic back on the court at some point to it now being a real possibility should they advance past Houston.
Luka Doncic Injury Return Becomes More Realistic After Lakers Game 2 Win
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 31: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers makes a slam dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena on March 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Officially, Doncic remains out indefinitely. Both Shams Charania and Redick recently offered updates on both he and Reaves, and while the latter appears to be making progress on a potential return, the Slovenian is still out, with no timeline for a return.
“The sense around the Lakers is that Austin Reaves is actually the one who’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.”
Redick added a similar sentiment before the Lakers’ Game 2 win over the Rockets.
“JJ Redick confirmed that Austin Reaves has begun a return-to-play protocol on the practice court, but reiterated there is no change in his return timeline. Luka Doncic will start on-court work soon but there is no change in his timeline either,” team insider Jovan Buha reported on X.
However, even if the Lakers don’t get back Doncic in this series, he hasn’t been ruled out for the rest of the season.
The typical timeline for a grade 2 hamstring injury, which he suffered in early April, is three-to-six weeks, so if Los Angeles can advance, which there is a growing chance of, the idea of Doncic fully recovering and getting back on court becomes a lot more realistic for round two of the playoffs.
When Will Luka Doncic Return From Injury?
GettyINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 25: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after a basket against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 25, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
While the three-to-six week recovery timeline was just one of many reported timelines, based on recent NBA history, Doncic could be looking at a longer absence.
According to The Athletic, players suffering hamstring injuries missed about 40 days and returned with a high risk of re-injury, as seen with stars like Jalen Williams, Aaron Gordon, and Peyton Watson.
“In fact, recent NBA history offers more reason for Dončić and the Lakers to be discouraged instead of optimistic. Around the league, comparable injuries have followed a pattern: initial absences in the three- to six-week range, followed by a heightened risk of reinjury,” Lindsey Wisniewski and Law Murray wrote.
As mentioned, Doncic is still without a return date. While he did travel to Spain for additional treatment in hopes of speeding up his recovery, it remains to be seen if it will have any impact on an eventual return.
Still, if the Lakers can continue the types of performances they’ve had in their first two games against the Rockets, getting into the second round completely changes the idea of Doncic returning from injury.
Regardless of how many games it might take the Lakers to beat Houston, the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs will begin on May 4, which is more than four weeks after the Slovenian suffered his injury. That series could last up to nearly two weeks, which would give Los Angeles a bunch more added time to have Doncic make a full recovery.
Any potential timeline remains to be determined. Still, every game the Lakers win gives them a better chance at getting Doncic, as well as Reaves, back.
Lakers Get Good News On Luka Doncic Injury Return After Game 2