Despite entering the 2026 NBA Playoffs without Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), the depleted Los Angeles Lakers managed to upset the Houston Rockets in six games to advance to the second round.
Now, the Lakers have a date with the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder. While LeBron James put the team on his back and Reaves is back in the lineup, there’s one major question hanging over the Lakers-Thunder series: Will Dončić be able to suit up?
Luka Doncic Injury Update: Latest on the Superstar’s Status for Round 2 vs. Thunder
Doncic suffered his hamstring injury on April 2 against Oklahoma City, the same blowout loss in which Reaves sustained his oblique strain.
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 from Lakers insider Jovan Buha that Dončić may be able to return toward the end of the the first round. However, ESPN’s Shams Charania shot that down multiple times, stressing that the Lakers never expected to have Dončić available in Round 1.
Game 1 against the Thunder is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, because the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors forced Game 7s in their respective series. This is excellent news for the Lakers, as it gives Dončić some extra time to recover. However, unfortunately for the Lakers, Dončić is “not close” to returning, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“Most likely you’re not gonna see Luka Dončić at the front end of this series, maybe at least for another week to 10 days… [at] the minimum,” Windhorst said.
This lines up with what ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported on Friday night that Dončić’s “return is still not clear nor close.”
Dončić has begun “to do light individual work” and “there is optimism he can begin ramping up his activities next week,” according to Siegel. But he isn’t currently doing any contact drills, 1-on-1, 3-on-3, or 5-on-5 — all things he must clear in order to return.
MORE: Is Jalen Williams Playing in Round 2 vs. Lakers? Latest on Thunder Star’s Injury and Return Timeline
Barring a surprise, don’t expect to see Dončić in Game 1 or in the early part of this series. Windhorst makes it sound as if the Lakers will try to hang around in the series so that Dončić could make his return toward the middle or end of the round. Here is the schedule for the Thunder-Lakers series:
- Game 1: Los Angeles at OKC, Tuesday, May 5
- Game 2: Los Angeles at OKC, Thursday, May 7
- Game 3: OKC at Los Angeles, Saturday, May 9
- Game 4: OKC at Los Angeles, Monday, May 11
- Game 5 (If necessary): Los Angeles at OKC, Wednesday, May 13
- Game 6 (If necessary): OKC at Los Angeles, Saturday, May 16
- Game 7 (If necessary): Los Angeles at OKC, Monday, May 18
If Dončić spends this next week ramping up and checking boxes, perhaps he could target a return in Game 4 or Game 5 the following week. But again, it all depends on his body responds to the ramp-up process.
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.”
With Reaves back in action, James playing some of his best basketball in some time, and Dončić potentially nearing a mid-series return, perhaps the Lakers can pull off a second-straight upset over a favored opponent.
