Luka Doncic remains absent and is not close to returning to the Los Angeles Lakers. Suffering from a grade 2 hamstring strain on April 2, the Slovenian player is undergoing a gradual recovery process without having fully regained his normal playing rhythm.
According to sports doctor Jesse Morse, this type of injury typically requires between six and eight weeks of recovery time. In some cases, with appropriate injections and aggressive rehabilitation, this period can be reduced to approximately four to six weeks. Doncic chose to seek treatment in Spain with the goal of speeding up his recovery, although not as significantly as desired.
Morse remains cautious about the timeline for Doncic’s return. Initially targeting a comeback between May 6 and 10, he now suggests a more realistic return date around May 11 for Game 4. This timeline is a little over five weeks after the injury, better than the initial prognosis but not as good as the “four weeks” hoped for after his treatment in Spain.
Despite being with the team for several days, Doncic has not yet progressed through the crucial stages of his recovery, especially in terms of running and playing in full team drills. Therefore, his return is not imminent, according to Morse.
The Los Angeles Lakers will have to start their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder without their offensive leader. The goal will be to stay competitive in the series with the hope of welcoming back Luka Doncic under favorable conditions.
The return of Doncic could have a significant impact on the series outcome, but it will depend on his ability to complete the final stages of his rehabilitation without setbacks.
