The Los Angeles Lakers have exceeded all expectations during their first-round series against the Houston Rockets, as they have taken a 3-0 lead despite playing without Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique).
LeBron James has put the team on his back while role players such as Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard have stepped up, and now Los Angeles seems poised to advance and potentially get healthy during the second round.
While Reaves has been progressing quickly and seems poised to return in the near future, what’s the latest on Dončić and when could he make his return to the Lakers’ lineup?
Luka Doncic Injury Update: Latest on the Superstar’s Status for the NBA Playoffs
Prior to the start of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, Dončić flew to Spain in hopes of accelerating his recovery process. Initially, there were some rumblings that Dončić may be able to return during the first round if the series extended long enough; however, ESPN’s Shams Charania has since shot that down (and the Lakers may take of business quickly without him).
“He is out indefinitely,” Charania stressed, adding that the Lakers aren’t expecting to have Dončić available in this series.
The Lakers are reportedly targeting an early May return for Dončić, so it’s sounds like he’s about another week or week-and-a-half away from being able to suit up. With that said, this is all contingent on how his body responds over as he continues treatment and tries to ramp up his workload to return.
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.
While Dončić only appeared in 64 games during the regular season, the NBA announced that he and Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham were eligible for end-of-season honors like the All-NBA team anyway. Neither player appeared in the minimum 65 games required, but they both filed “Extraordinary Circumstances” grievances and the league ruled in their favor. Dončić missed two games to travel to Slovenia for the birth of his daughter, which is why the league granted him eligibility.
“I am grateful to the NBPA for advocating on my behalf and to the NBA for their fair decision,” Dončić said in a statement. “It was so important to me to be present for the birth of my daughter in December and I appreciate Mark [Walter], Jeanie [Buss], Rob [Pelinka], JJ [Redick], and the entire Lakers organization for fully supporting me and allowing me to travel to be there.
“This season has been so special to me because of what my teammates and I have been able to accomplish, and I am honored to have the opportunity to be considered for the league’s end-of-season awards.”
