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Report: Lakers not expecting injured stars to return versus Rockets
TL;DR
The Los Angeles Lakers do not expect injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to return for their playoff series against the Houston Rockets. However, they haven't completely ruled out the possibility of their return later in the series.
Key points
- Lakers do not expect Doncic to return for playoffs
- Austin Reaves also unlikely to play against Rockets
- Possibility of return later in the series not ruled out
Los Angeles LakersHouston Rockets
The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t ruling out Luka Doncic (hamstring strain) or Austin Reaves (oblique strain) for their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.
However, a potential return reportedly isn’t the expectation.
As they prepare for it, sources told ESPN they have no expectation of having either Doncic or Reaves back at any point in the first round. But they also have not completely ruled out the possibility of one or both of them becoming available the longer the series lasts.
Both Doncic and Reaves, who led the Lakers (53-29, No. 4 in the eight-team Western Conference playoffs bracket) in scoring, suffered Grade 2 strains in an April 2 loss at Oklahoma City. Those typically have a recovery timeline of four-to-six weeks before returning to play in an NBA game.
Game 6 and Game 7 of the best-of-seven series versus the Rockets are on May 1 and May 3, respectively. So, if Doncic and/or Reaves were able to recover on the short end of that timeline — or, if perhaps the timeline was slightly expedited due to the added playoff stakes — it’s at least plausible that one or both could return in the first round.
But from a Los Angeles perspective, that scenario appears far from a foregone conclusion. And for the Rockets (52-30, No. 5 in West), it could make winning games early in the series even more important, so that the series doesn’t drag out long enough to allow for such a return.
Q&A
Will Luka Doncic play against the Houston Rockets in the playoffs?
The Los Angeles Lakers do not expect Luka Doncic to return for the playoff series against the Houston Rockets.
What is the injury status of Austin Reaves for the Lakers' playoff series?
Austin Reaves is not expected to return for the Lakers' playoff series against the Houston Rockets due to an oblique strain.
Can Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves return later in the playoff series?
While the Lakers do not expect their return, they have not ruled out the possibility of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves becoming available as the series progresses.
