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NBA Insider Shares Concerning Luka Doncic Update Ahead of Lakers-Thunder Series
Luka Doncic (Image Credits: Imagn)

NBA Insider Shares Concerning Luka Doncic Update Ahead of Lakers-Thunder Series

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports  |  By Afshan Khan  |  Last updated May 4, 2026 3:54 PM ET
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The Los Angeles Lakers kicked off this year’s playoffs with a rocky start, missing key stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Many anticipated another early exit for the purple and gold, but they defied the odds by rewriting the narrative in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets.

With both stars on the sidelines, LeBron James emerged as the ultimate leader, while Deandre Ayton enhanced his defensive game. Luka Kennard and Marcus Smart also stepped up, delivering crucial offensive contributions. The return of Austin Reaves in Game 5 catalyzed their momentum, ending the series with a 4-2 win.

However, their impressive run now faces a steep roadblock: the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, await them in the conference semifinals. Doncic’s absence could loom large over the team’s aspirations, and the latest updates from Brian Windhorst aren’t painting a hopeful picture.

“He’s not close. Most likely you’re not gonna see Luka Doncic at the front end of this series maybe at least for another week to 10 days on the minimum. So the Lakers are gonna have a reality they’re gonna have to do it without (him),” Windhorst said during the recent appearance on SportsCenter.

Windhorst stated that Doncic has not begun contact practice and is not close to returning for the Lakers.

Sports Injury Specialist Issues Update on Doncic’s Condition

Luka Doncic suffered a grade 2 hamstring injury during a blowout regular-season loss against the Thunder on April 2. The Slovenian star has been sidelined for over a month and has yet to make significant progress in his running or ability to participate in five-on-five practices. Ahead of the conference semifinals against the Thunder, sports injury specialist Jesse Morse assessed the timeline for Doncic’s potential return.

“I think realistically the fastest Doncic could return is Monday May 11 for Game 4. If Lakers are competitive maybe they can steal one of the first two games in OKC, and prevent potentially being down 0-3 heading into that Game 4. Maybe they surprise us and it’s 3-0. Whatever treatments they did in Spain, in my opinion, weren’t strong enough because he SHOULD be farther along than he is if they use the right product, volume and technique,” Via Jesse Morse.

The Lakers will play Game 1 of the conference semifinals series against the Thunder at Paycom Center. This highly anticipated game is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 PM EDT on May 5th. Can the Lakers surprise everyone once again with a win over the Thunder, or will they face a second-round exit? Only time will tell.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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