Luka Doncic has described his hamstring strain as a “different injury than he’s ever had.” It has required a lengthy rehabilitation process for the Los Angeles Lakers star — whose postseason status remains in some jeopardy, as he revealed to reporters on Wednesday.
Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer in the regular season, suffered the hamstring injury on April 2 in Oklahoma City. His Lakers team was pelted by the Thunder on Tuesday, 108-90, to begin the Western Conference semifinals. For some, that Doncic isn’t returning imminently to help the Lakers is a sin that only a trade would fix.
But Doncic and the Lakers’ medical staff understand that the six-time All-Star has been in no condition to play.
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Doncic revealed Tuesday that initially he was given an eight-week timeline from the night he was injured in Oklahoma City. He has started running as part of his return to play program, but if he is to stick to the initial timeline, he would be more than three weeks away from returning.
Luka Doncic’s first press conference since he injured his hamstring on April 2. He said his timeline to return to the #Lakers was 8 weeks. He’s ramping up. But still a ways to go. pic.twitter.com/Qux41bcTO0
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) May 6, 2026
For Doncic to play again this season, it is increasingly likely that the Lakers will not just have to drag out their series with the Thunder to six or seven games; it feels like Los Angeles will have to eliminate the defending NBA champions in order to get Doncic back on the court.
And seeing as the Lakers scored only 37 points in the second half of Game 1 on Tuesday, fans understandably are not feeling so confident about LA’s chances against the Thunder.