The Los Angeles Lakers will begin their first-round series against the Houston Rockets this weekend without injured guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania.
Charania told “The Pat McAfee Show” that both players are expected to miss the start of the series. Doncic, sidelined by a Grade 2 strain in his left hamstring, “spent the last week in Spain” undergoing multiple injection treatments aimed at accelerating healing, Charania said. The 27-year-old is scheduled to return to the United States on Tuesday for re-evaluation.
Reaves, dealing with a Grade 2 strain of his left oblique, is projected to be out for “a majority” of the opening round. The earliest potential return for the 27-year-old guard is the first week of May, Charania added.
With their top two scorers unavailable, the Lakers will lean on LeBron James as the primary offensive option. The 41-year-old forward is entering his 24th postseason after completing his 23rd NBA campaign.
The Lakers–Rockets series opens this weekend at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Source: Lakers Nation
