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HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Houston Rockets during the second half at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas.

The Luka Doncic-less Los Angeles Lakers are gearing up for a pivotal Game 5 against the Houston Rockets as the first round of the NBA playoffs continue.

A disappointing Game 4 loss means a massive Game 5 is on the horizon. Can the Lakers win and reserve a date with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round? Will they lose again and give the Rockets even more momentum? 

We’ll find out Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

In the meantime, the Lakers are hoping for good news as the Rockets continue to get hit with more bad. 

L.A. is right on the verge of welcoming back star Austin Reaves and eventually Doncic, the top two scorers on the team. Meanwhile, the Rockets, already in a 3-1 hole, are likely to be without 16-time All-Star Kevin Durant for the remainder of the series. 

Long-story-short: the Lakers shouldn’t want any part of losing tonight and pointing their plane back to Houston for a dicey Game 6. It has to end tomorrow night.

Lakers Receive Major Update on Luka Doncic

The outlook of L.A.’s season shifted sharply the night Doncic and Reaves both suffered Grade 2 strains. The Lakers’ two leading scorers were ultimately ruled out for multiple weeks, and the sense in Los Angeles quickly turned grim, with the team appearing headed toward a first round exit.

But, man, what a change Los Angeles has experienced in the last 1 ½ weeks. It has been nothing short of wildly unexpected. No one could’ve predicted this first round series would see the Lakers up 3-0 through the first three games.

The Lakers are one win away from the second round of the playoffs, where they haven’t been since the 2022-23 season. With the Rockets likely to be without Durant for the remainder of the series, there is no other option for L.A. than to win and advance.

Completing this first round upset could be a lot easier if the Lakers get Reaves back. The good news is the 27-year-old Los Angeles star is in line to return to the lineup in Wednesday’s Game 5, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

As for Doncic, the Lakers are still awaiting a firm return date. Earlier in the day, Charania reported Doncic will be out for the remainder of the first round.

“Luka Doncic, though, is expected to miss the entire series and there is hope as he progresses in his on-court workouts,” Charania said on “SportsCenter.” “He just started that.”

Later, on ESPN’s “Get Up,” Charania gave more detail on the steps Doncic is required to meet before a return timeline can be established.

“There’s no time-table; he’s still out indefinitely,” Charania said. “[Lakers head coach] JJ Redick said the other day, [Doncic] just started doing on-court work. … There’s still progressions for him. Austin Reaves over the last two weeks has gone from 1-on-1, to 3-on-3s, to 5-on-5s. Luka Doncic has not made that type of progress quite yet, so it’s undetermined how much longer he’ll need.”

Can L.A. Take Care of Business and Advance?

The Lakers know the league’s most inevitable team is waiting for them. The Thunder just capped off a dominant four-game sweep of the Phoenix Suns, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continuing to play the best basketball of any player on the planet.

The Lakers must send the Rockets packing before they can start mulling over a matchup against the Thunder.

Back on their home floor Wednesday night, the Lakers will have the fans cheering them on as they hope to finish off the Rockets in five games.