Why isn't Luka Doncic playing? Explaining injury return timeline for Lakers star vs. Rockets originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
While the Los Angeles Lakers have not had much trouble taking a 2-0 series lead against the Houston Rockets, they will continue to be without star Luka Doncic for Game 3.
Doncic has been out since April 2nd, when he fell with a grade 2 left hamstring strain against the Oklahoma City Thunder. On the same night, Laker forward Austin Reaves became injured with a left oblique strain.
The Lakers have been without two of their top three scorers since then, but have still begun their 2026 playoff campaign strongly. The team announced that they are not expecting Doncic back for the first round against Houston.
Here is the latest news on the Slovenian star and how close he is to returning for the playoffs.
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In early April, Doncic was diagnosed with a grade 2 hamstring strain that would sideline him for the beginning of the Lakers' playoff run. Grade 2 hamstring strains typically involve a 3-6 week recovery process, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
As of April 24, Doncic is still regarded to be out "indefinitely," and the franchise is not expecting him to return to play in their first-round bout against the Houston Rockets.
Doncic opted to travel to Europe in order to speed up his recovery timeline for his hamstring strain, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin and Shams Charania. Doncic consulted Lakers doctors and his own medical team, who decided going overseas for treatment was the correct approach.
MORE: Why is Luka Doncic traveling to Europe for hamstring treatment?
Los Angeles' star is still unavailable to suit up for tonight's game. Along with Game 3, the Lakers are not expecting Doncic to return at any point in their first-round series against Houston, according to Shams Charania.
The Slovenian has appeared at the Los Angeles practice facility, shooting around with Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt. The franchise has currently remained steady in their stance that Doncic will not see the court during the first round, but his return to a basketball court shows some promise for the future.
Luka Doncic back on the Lakers practice court pic.twitter.com/YTHIO6Wdo8
MORE: How does Doncic's injury affect Lakers playoff chances and his own MVP odds?
Doncic will remain out for Game 3 against Houston. The star still remains out "indefinitely," according to Shams Charania, and the Lakers are not expecting him to return in the first round.
The latest on the rehabs of Lakers star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/HA4sfuckrN
Fortunately for Los Angeles, forward Austin Reaves has been making steady progress towards a playoff return. He has been out since early April with a grade 2 oblique strain and was originally slated to take four to six weeks for recovery. Reaves will be questionable for Friday night's Game 3, while Doncic is officially listed as out, according to the latest NBA injury report.