Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic is scheduled to fly back to Los Angeles this Friday following specialized medical treatment in Europe for his hamstring injury, according to an ESPN report released Monday. However, team officials have not indicated when the star player might be cleared to return to the court.
The 27-year-old basketball star traveled to Spain last week to undergo multiple injection treatments for a Grade 2 left hamstring strain he suffered during the team’s 139-96 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2.
Following an MRI examination the day after the injury occurred, Lakers management announced that Doncic would be sidelined for at least the rest of the regular season. The organization has remained silent about his recovery progress since that initial statement.
Medical experts typically expect Grade 2 hamstring strains to require approximately one month of recovery time. This timeline could potentially sideline the NBA’s top scorer, who averages 33.5 points per game, along with Los Angeles’ leader in both assists (8.3) and steals (1.6), for the entire opening round of playoff competition.
The Lakers, who earned the fourth seed in the Western Conference, are scheduled to begin their first-round playoff matchup this Saturday when they face the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets.
Adding to the team’s injury concerns, Austin Reaves remains unavailable after suffering a Grade 2 left oblique strain. The guard, who contributes 23.3 points and 5.5 assists per game, is projected to miss four to six weeks of action.
Despite losing both key players, Los Angeles managed to close out the regular season with a 3-2 record following Doncic and Reaves’ injuries.
