With a 125-107 win in Game 2, the Oklahoma City Thunder took a 2-0 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in their second-round series.
Luka Dončić has yet to play in the 2026 NBA Playoffs as he recovers from a Grade 2 hamstring strain. However, entering this matchup against the defending-champion Thunder, many Lakers fans were hopeful that Dončić could return at some point mid-series. Will Dončić play in tonight’s Game 3 clash, and what’s the latest on his recovery timeline?
Luka Dončić Injury Update: Will the Lakers Star Play in Game 2 vs. the Thunder?
Dončić has been ruled out for Game 3 on Saturday night, and it’s starting to sound like he may not be able to return at any point during the second round.
Entering this series, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst warned that Dončić was “not close” to returning. This lines up with what Dončić told reporters during Wednesday’s media availability, when he explained that he was initially given an eight-week recovery timeline when he strained his hamstring on April 2.
“I’m just doing everything I can, like I said. Every day I’m doing stuff I was supposed to do. Obviously, I’m recovering now, I’m working, but as a doctor said, eight weeks at the beginning of the first MRI,” Dončić said. “So, you know, I’m just going day by day, and I feel better every day.”
Dončić was candid about how frustrating this injury has been.
“I don’t think people understand how frustrating it is. All I wanna do is play basketball, especially this time [of year]… Seeing what my team is doing, I’m very proud of them. It’s been very tough just to sit and watch them play,” he said.
The eight-week timeline means Dončić is still roughly two weeks away from returning, with late May being a realistic target. Even if the Lakers can extend this series to seven games, Game 7 would be on May 18, which will likely be too soon for Dončić to suit up (unless he can beat the initial timeline).
It all depends on how Dončić responds to treatment and the ramp-up process. So far, he is just doing light individual work, but he will need to check a number of boxes in order to return, including contact drills, 1-on-1, 3-on-3, and 5-on-5.
During the regular season, Dončić averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game, while shooting 47.6% from the floor and 36.6% from 3.
The Thunder are also shorthanded, as Jalen Williams was also ruled out for Game 3 with a hamstring injury of his own. Williams suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain during Game 2 of the Thunder’s first-round series against the Phoenix Suns.
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It remains to be seen when Williams will return; he has now been sidelined for two-and-a-half weeks. The next chance for Williams to suit up will be in Game 4 on Monday, May 11. Game 5 would be on Wednesday, May 13, if necessary.
During the regular season, Williams averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He struggled with his efficiency, shooting career lows from the field (48.4%) and from 3-point range (29.9%).
Williams appeared in just 33 games during the regular season, as he missed significant stretches while recovering from offseason wrist surgery and a pair of separate hamstring strains. OKC still managed to win an NBA-best 64 games and secure the West’s No. 1 seed with the 25-year-old in and out of the lineup.
Ajay Mitchell has started for the Thunder in Williams’ absence, and he has played well. Through two games, he is averaging 19.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field (although he has struggled from 3-point range, making just 1-of-8 from deep so far in this series after shooting 45% from long range in Round 1).
Williams seems closer to returning than Dončić, as the Thunder star was diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, whereas Dončić’s is a Grade 2.
