The Los Angeles Lakers have been able to get it done without some of their top talent in the NBA Playoffs. In the first round, they eliminated the Houston Rockets, with Austin Reaves absent for most of the series and Luka Doncic for the entirety.
Reaves has returned in full; however, Luka Doncic remains sidelined after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring injury on April 2.
Updates continue to be provided, but the Lakers will have to continue without their top scorer in the regular season. According to the latest NBA injury report, Los Angeles ruled Doncic out for Game 1 vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Latest on Luka Doncic’s Injury
Lakers superstar guard Luka Doncic has been out since April 2 after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was originally ruled out for at least the remainder of the regular season.
A Grade 2 hamstring strain “typically involves a monthlong recovery,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin initially reported following Luka Doncic’s diagnosis.
May 2 marked the month mark for Doncic as he slowly gets back on the court, but he will remain sidelined while the Lakers begin the second-round matchup against the Thunder on Tuesday.
Doncic has since returned to practice in a limited fashion and continues to ramp up his workouts, but he is yet to run at a full capacity and hasn’t been cleared for full-contact workouts, Shams Charania reported.
After announcing his absence for Game 1, Luka Doncic is still labeled as out indefinitely.
Although the Lakers were able to get past the Houston Rockets in the first round, it feels as if they will need Luka Doncic to return at some point against the Thunder in the second round.
Doncic led the league in points per game this regular season (33.5) while finishing third in assists per game (8.3).
Los Angeles got hot in the final stretch of the regular season, having a record of 14-3 over the final 17 games. Doncic had a large part in this success, elevating his scoring ability to 37.5 points in March.
Thunder Battle Injuries of Their Own in Game 1
Although Los Angeles will have to continue without a key player, so will the Thunder. Oklahoma City ruled out forward Jalen Williams for Game 1 with a left hamstring strain
Williams suffered the setback in Game 2 of the Thunder’s first-round series win over the Phoenix Suns.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said that the 25-year-old remains week-to-week.
“He’s progressing, according to plan, I would say. In terms of a timeline, we’re not gonna release that. We will continue to let you guys know on a week-to-week basis,” Daigneault said, according to BasketNews.
Jalen Williams has dealt with an injury-plagued 2025-26 season. He began the campaign sidelined for 19 games while recovering from wrist surgery he had done last offseason. He’s also suffered multiple right hamstring strains.
These setbacks resulted in just 33 regular season games for the Thunder forward.
While dealing with a leg injury to the opposite one that was limiting him during the regular season, the Thunder will pivot for the foreseeable future.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the second round matchup on Tuesday.
Lakers’ Provide Luka Doncic Status Update Ahead of Game 1 vs. Thunder