Luka Dončić will not be available for the Los Angeles Lakers at the start of their second-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Lakers are evaluating Dončić on a week-to-week basis, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.
Dončić is currently on a “slow path” in his recovery from a Grade 2 hamstring strain, Charania reports, which has kept him sidelined for the past month.
Dončić’s Recovery Progress
Dončić is doing more on the court, according to Charania. However, he is still not doing full-fledged running or full-contact workouts.
ESPN reports that the timeline for his return is still unclear.
Dončić was seen putting up shots during Lakers practice on Monday, May 4, but he has yet to progress to 3-on-3 or 5-on-5 drills. Lakers head coach JJ Redick had no update for reporters.
Lakers Without Dončić
Dončić has missed 11 games since straining his left hamstring against Oklahoma City on April 2. The Lakers have gone 7-4 in that span and ran out to a 3-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets before winning the series in six games.
The odds are stacked against Los Angeles with a matchup against the defending NBA champion Thunder, who won a league-best 64 games in the regular season. The absence of Jalen Williams makes things slightly less lopsided, especially if the Lakers keep producing total team efforts with contributions from Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura.
Dončić’s Importance to the Lakers
Dončić led the league in scoring with 33.5 points per game and finished third in assists with 8.3 per game.
He will be needed this series, as evidenced by the result of Game 1.
It just remains to be seen when – or if – he’ll be back in time.