The Los Angeles Lakers must begin their second-round playoff matchup against Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday without their top-scoring player, as the team officially declared Luka Doncic unavailable for the opening game on Monday.
Head coach JJ Redick had refused to give details about his star player’s condition earlier Monday before the Lakers released their injury report that evening showing Doncic would not play.
The injury keeping Doncic sidelined is a left hamstring strain he sustained during a crushing 139-96 defeat against these same Thunder players. The injury has prevented the player who averages 33.5 points per contest from participating in any postseason games. Even without their leading scorer, the fourth-seeded Lakers (53-29) managed to eliminate the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets with a 4-2 series victory in the opening round.
Oklahoma City dominated the regular season with the NBA’s finest record of 64-18 before starting their playoff campaign by sweeping the Phoenix Suns in four straight games.
The Lakers have struggled mightily against Oklahoma City this year, losing all four regular season meetings with only one defeat decided by single digits.
Recent reports about Doncic’s recovery timeline align with the team’s decision to hold him out. ESPN reported Sunday that the player remains on a “slow path” toward returning to action, having not yet resumed full-contact practice sessions while being listed as week-to-week.
The six-time All-Star selection and two-time scoring title winner also contributed 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game during the 2025-26 campaign, his first complete season wearing a Lakers uniform.
