Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers is not expected to play in their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. But while the star remains out, a return at some point in the postseason hasn’t been ruled out, especially if the Lakers, currently with a 3-0 series lead, advance past the Rockets.
Though the Lakers have seen success playing without Doncic and Austin Reaves, both of whom are still sidelined with muscle injuries, having them miss time isn’t the best news for a team hoping to make a deep postseason run.
Additionally, as it relates to Doncic, his injury occurred while he was playing arguably the best basketball of his career, which included some record-setting performances; his grade 2 hamstring injury put a direct stop to his rising MVP campaign.
Luka Doncic Injury Came At Brutal Point For The Star, Lakers
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MARCH 27: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on March 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
According to the X account, The_BBall_Index, Doncic’s hamstring injury came at an ‘awful time.’ Per the account, based on Doncic’s player impact on team per 100 possessions, he was outplaying his contract by $16 million before going down with the hamstring injury.
“Luka’s injury came at an awful time. He was playing at an insane level before getting hurt,” they wrote. “He out performed his contract by almost 16 million this season.”
He was playing at an insane level before getting hurt.
He out performed his contract by almost 16 million this season
Doncic signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension with the Lakers in the summer of 2025. While it was already a near-max deal, with his record-setting performances in the month of March meant that, based on Bball Index’s report, he could have been earning even more and still be playing up to the caliber of an even higher contract.
The Slovenian is still one of the highest-paid players in the NBA annually, but with the near 40-point triple-doubles he was consistently dropping in March, while leading the Lakers up the standings with a 15-2 record, him going out for an extended period came at a tough time.
Still, Los Angeles has thrived in the first round without him and Reaves, so while Doncic’s injury might have put a stop to his MVP-level run, it didn’t have the expected impact on the team.
When Is Luka Doncic Coming Back For The Lakers? Latest Injury Return Updates
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.
Officially, Doncic is sidelined and out indefinitely for the Lakers. According to Shams Charania, the star is not expected to return in Los Angeles’ first round series against Houston.
However, when Doncic first went down, there was hope that the Lakers could extent their series against the Rockets with the chance of getting him or Reaves back. But now, currently with a 3-0 series lead, Los Angeles is firmly in the driver’s seat, as teams are 159-0 when up three games to none in any NBA playoff series.
With that, the Lakers can now give Doncic a bit more time to make a full injury recovery, and potentially return in the second round, a series that will likely be against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The second round of the playoffs is set to begin on May 4, and that would be more than a month after Doncic originally went down with his hamstring injury. That series could last up to two weeks, potentially giving the Slovenian a total of six weeks to recover and get back on the court in the postseason.
For now thought, Doncic remains out indefinitely. While an Reaves injury return appears to be closer than ever, his backcourt partner is still recovering.
Game 4 of the Lakers vs Rockets first round series tips off on Sunday, April 26, at 6:30 pm PST and will be live on NBC and Peacock.
Surprising Luka Doncic Injury News Emerges As Lakers Return Looms