Luka Doncic Still Uncertain About Return From Hamstring Strain
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic said Wednesday he has no clear timetable to come back from the Grade 2 strain in his left hamstring that has kept him out since April 2.
Speaking to reporters at the team hotel, the 27-year-old star called the situation “very frustrating” and noted that doctors originally projected an eight-week recovery. Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday will mark five weeks since the injury.
“I’m doing everything I can in the process, and I think we’re on a good way,” Doncic said. “But at the beginning, he told me eight weeks.”
Rehab Progress
Doncic has resumed running but has not yet participated in contact drills. He said daily treatment includes sessions in a hyperbaric chamber and cold tubs, adding that caution is essential after returning too quickly from past injuries.
The All-NBA guard missed four games earlier this season with a milder strain to the same hamstring. This more severe setback ended what had been an MVP-level campaign in his first full year with Los Angeles.
Trip to Spain for PRP Therapy
Immediately after the injury, Doncic traveled to Spain for platelet-rich plasma therapy, receiving four injections spaced four days apart. He said team medical staff approved the trip, and he stayed overseas long enough to complete the treatment schedule.
Playoff Context
Doncic has been with the Lakers throughout the postseason. Los Angeles eliminated the Houston Rockets in six games before dropping Tuesday’s Game 1 to the defending champion Thunder, 108-90.
LeBron James highlighted Doncic’s absence after the loss, noting the challenge of facing the league’s top-ranked defense without a teammate who averaged 34 points, eight rebounds and nine assists during the regular season.
For now, Doncic plans to continue daily rehabilitation and evaluate his status “day by day” as the series shifts to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4.
Source: ESPN
