Getty

Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on from the bench.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Luka Doncic in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets on Friday, as the Slovenian continues rehabbing from the grade 2 hamstring injury he sustained on April 2.

Is there a chance Doncic can return before the end of the Rockets series?

Conflicting reports have emerged on Doncic’s potential return date. At the time of his injury, Doncic was expected to miss four to six weeks of action. Based on that timeline, he should theoretically be ready for Game 6 on May 1 against the Rockets, or possibly a Game 7 at the Crypto.com Arena on May 3.  However, several Lakers insiders have suggested that Doncic has not made significant progress in his recovery from injury.

Luka Doncic Return Timeline

“While a grade 2 hamstring strain on average has a month-long recovery process….You have to consider that he already hurt his hamstring earlier in the season and has had calf injuries in the past,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin said of Doncic on the “Howdy Partners” podcast this week.

“If there’s a kinetic chain, if the hamstring gets messed up, it can lead to calf [issues] down the line. And the calf can lead to the worst injury [Achilles] in basketball.”

As McMenamin alluded to, Doncic dealt with two separate cases of calf strains earlier this season, besides a hamstring injury shortly before the All-Star break.

“They’re going to be careful and cautious with Luka Doncic, but if you get through the first round, you’re buying yourself another week [before the second round].”

Luka Doncic Injury Update

While Austin Reaves has progressed to 1-on-1 workouts and is nearing a return, Doncic has reportedly participated only in light shooting drills in recent days.

On Thursday, ESPN shared a video of Doncic doing some “controlled, light movement shooting” after the team’s practice session.

While many felt the video spelled good news for a potential Luka Doncic return, sports medicine expert Dr. Evan Jeffries threw cold water on that theory.

“Glad to see Luka Doncic back on the court

“However this DOES not look like a player that would be BACK in a week from the hamstring strain,” Jeffries wrote.

For what it’s worth, Lakers minority owner Jeanie Buss is reportedly optimistic that Doncic can return before the end of the Rockets series, per ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

“I believe he will [play in the first round],” Smith said of Doncic earlier this week.

“[Lakers owner] Jeanie Buss — I interviewed her the other day, she would not confirm nor deny, she said, ‘We’re not going to let out any secret on anything’ … but we are excited for the possibilities and left it like that.”

If Doncic isn’t cleared to return in a week, the Lakers may have to beat the Rockets without their leading scorer and best player. Luckily, they already have a head start with a 2-0 series lead, emerging as the betting favorites to advance to the second round.