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Durant out for Game 1 vs. Lakers with knee inury
Kevin Durant will miss Game 1 against the Lakers due to a knee injury.
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When is Luka Doncic coming back? Why Lakers' superstar isn't playing with injury news
TL;DR
Luka Doncic will not play in the Lakers' playoff opener against the Houston Rockets. His absence raises concerns about the team's sustainability without their star players.
Key points
- Luka Doncic is out for the Lakers' playoff opener
- The Lakers face the Houston Rockets in the playoffs
- LeBron James is leading the team in Doncic's absence
Los Angeles LakersHouston RocketsDallas Mavericks
When is Luka Doncic coming back? Why Lakers' superstar isn't playing with injury news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers begin their playoff journey on Saturday against the Houston Rockets.
They'll be doing it without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. This is the LeBron James show until proven otherwise.
James has turned back the clock and is playing fantastic basketball without the stars alongside him, but it's not a sustainable strategy for the Lakers if they want to make the deepest possible postseason run.
Doncic, in particular, has already proven in his career he can carry a team (the Dallas Mavericks) to the NBA Finals.
Will he get the chance to do that this year for the Lakers? It'll depend in large part on whether he can return to the court.
MORE:What Steve Kerr leaving would mean to Steph Curry, Warriors
When is Luka Doncic coming back?
There has been speculation that Doncic could return late in the Lakers-Rockets series, but that's not something that L.A. has confirmed.
Lakers head coach has said that Doncic is out indefinitely.
Q&A
When is Luka Doncic expected to return to play?
There is currently no specific timeline for Luka Doncic's return to play.
Why is Luka Doncic not playing in the playoffs?
Luka Doncic is not playing due to an unspecified injury.
How will the Lakers perform without Luka Doncic?
The Lakers will rely heavily on LeBron James, but their chances for a deep postseason run are uncertain without Doncic.
