NBA superstar Luka Doncic has been sidelined for over a month for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and remains without an official injury return timeline.
Doncic did miss all of the Lakers’ first-round series victory over the Houston Rockets, and while they still got the job done without him and Austin Reaves for a majority of the series, they could desperately use their franchise centerpiece in their upcoming contests against the Thunder.
As mentioned, Doncic is still without an official injury return timeline, but as time passes since he went out with the hamstring strain, there remains hope of him getting back on the court for the Lakers at some point soon.
Lakers Get New Luka Doncic Injury Update And Return Timeline For OKC Thunder Series
GettyWASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 30: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates in front of Jamir Watkins #5 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on January 30, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Speaking on Inside the NBA on Sunday, May 3, top insider Shams Charania gave the Lakers and the rest of the basketball world a new Doncic injury update.
While Charania confirmed that the star is still out indefinitely, he shed some light on the recovery process for the Slovenian.
“I’m told right now Luka Doncic will be out to start the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder,” he said. “The Lakers are evaluating Doncic on a week-to-week basis with that grade 2 hamstring strain.”
Doncic has been out since April 2 with the hamstring strain. The original return timeline was roughly four to six weeks, but at this point, it remains to be seen if he can come back within that timeframe.
“One source told me in the last few days, ‘It’s still a slow path on Doncic’s recovery,'” Charania added. “He’s doing more and more on the court, but still not full-fledged running or full contact workouts.”
The Lakers have held out hope that Doncic could return at some point in the series, but for the time being, any potential return remains unclear.
Lakers vs Thunder Schedule And A Potential Doncic Injury Return
GettyOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – APRIL 8: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball in front of Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at Paycom Center on April 8, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
By winning a few early games and extending their series against the Thunder, Los Angeles could give Doncic a bit more time to work back from his injury and get back on the court.
The Lakers do not have a strong recent history against OKC, as they’ve lost the last five games, but with how well they played against the Rockets, as well as Jalen Williams‘ injury, the door is open for them to give the defending champions a run for their money.
Here’s what the Lakers vs Thunder schedule for the second round will look like:
Game 1 on May 5
Game 2 on May 7
Game 3 on May 9
Game 4 on May 11
Game 5 (if necessary) on May 13
Game 6 (if necessary) on May 16
Game 7 (if necessary) on May 18
Game 1: Tuesday, May 5 in OKC Game 2: Thursday, May 7 in OKC Game 3: Saturday, May 9 in LA Game 4: Monday, May 11 in LA Game 5*: Wednesday, May 13 in OKC Game 6*: Saturday, May 16 in LA Game 7*: Monday, May 18 IN OKC
*If necessary.
Going off that, there is clearly room in there for Doncic to return from injury at some point. NBA insiders Brett Siegel and Jovan Buha have predicted that the star could return in the middle of the series, as that would line up with his original timeline, but like everything else regarding his status, that remains to be determined.
As for now, Doncic remains out, and the Lakers will go forward with LeBron James, Reaves, Deandre Ayton, Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, and the rest of their supporting cast. They are not favored to beat the Thunder, but that could change if Doncic is able to come back.
Lakers Get New Luka Doncic Injury Update And Return Timeline For Thunder Series