LOS ANGELES (AP) — After months of preparation and building momentum toward a potential playoff run, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves facing an unexpected challenge.
The team’s postseason aspirations took a devastating hit during a single quarter of play in Oklahoma City just weeks ago.
During that fateful game, Luka Doncic was driving toward the basket when he suddenly pulled up and limped off the court with a hamstring injury. Austin Reaves, who had been visibly uncomfortable throughout the game while dealing with oblique pain, also exited and didn’t return.
In an instant, what had been a Lakers campaign gaining serious momentum suddenly shifted into a downward spiral that continues today.
The Lakers will face the Houston Rockets in Saturday night’s first-round playoff matchup without their starting guard duo, and the fourth-seeded team hasn’t provided a timeline for either player’s potential return.
Many observers believe the Lakers face an uphill battle without their leading scorers, including the league’s scoring champion. Even with LeBron James still anchoring the roster, the supporting cast may struggle against the Western Conference’s other powerhouse teams.
“I’m sure everybody wants to play us,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said last week, before the Rockets earned that honor.
However, the Lakers haven’t abandoned hope for what looked like a promising postseason just two weeks earlier. Before that crushing night in Oklahoma City, the team appeared to be hitting their stride at the perfect time, capturing 16 victories in 18 games to climb into the conference’s third position.
The Lakers managed to win 53 games this season despite Doncic appearing in only 64 contests, James in 60, and Reaves in just 51. The squad gained valuable experience playing without key contributors throughout the regular season, though their current situation presents their biggest test yet.
“We’re a little short-handed, and we know that,” guard Luke Kennard said. “But we’ve been preparing really well. Our focus is really high. … We were able to get some looks and develop a different kind of chemistry out on the court. We’ve added some stuff in practice, and I think we’ve done a good job executing it in practice, and I think our preparation has been really good.”
Multiple players must elevate their performance to give Los Angeles a fighting chance, with Kennard among those expected to shoulder increased responsibility.
This marks Kennard’s fifth playoff appearance across four different franchises, though he hasn’t earned a postseason start since his 2019 Detroit tenure. Following the injuries to Doncic and Reaves, Kennard has embraced expanded duties as both a primary ball-handler and playmaker while maintaining his signature long-range shooting.
Veteran Marcus Smart believes the Lakers’ success hinges on one crucial element: “Willpower.”
“We’re competitors,” added Smart, who’s back in the postseason for the first time since 2023 after making it in each of his nine seasons with Boston. “They’re going to try to come in and punk us, and if you will allow that, you will be punked. I don’t think we have any guys that are going to be punked on this team. We might not be the most athletic and the strongest, but we’ve got to have the most heart.”
Center Deandre Ayton and forward Rui Hachimura understand they must increase their offensive aggression to compensate for losing Doncic, one of basketball’s highest-usage players. Jake LaRavia, whose minutes varied considerably during the regular season, is expected to contribute significantly on both sides of the ball.
Bronny James may even see his first meaningful playoff action, potentially sharing the court with his legendary father.
Regardless of the strategy Redick develops to handle Houston’s physical style, the Lakers refuse to accept that their season effectively concluded during that Oklahoma City setback.
“It’s going to take everybody,” Smart said. “With that, it’s a different style of play, and I don’t think it’s something that Houston has prepared for. To be fair, they haven’t seen us without those guys. When they’re playing us, they’ve always played us with them. They’ve always had a matchup and game plan for them, and it’ll be interesting to see how they play us without them.”
