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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.

Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers is sidelined indefinitely with a grade 2 hamstring strain and could very well miss the rest of the season if the team loses in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs to the Houston Rockets.

However, Doncic is doing what he can to get back on the court for the Lakers this postseason. It remains to be seen whether he or Austin Reaves will be able to return, but if Los Angeles can extend their series against Houston, head coach JJ Redick and the team have hope that one of them will be able to return.

Still, there hasn’t been an official return timeline for Doncic, and for the time being, there’s little clarity about when, or if, he’ll be able to get back on the court for the Lakers, should they either force a game five, six, or seven against the Rockets, or even advance past the first round.

Here’s what we know about Doncic’s injury recovery timeline, and what history says about his hamstring strain.

Latest On The Luka Doncic Injury Return Timeline

Doncic went down with the hamstring strain in the Lakers’ loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2. He was ruled out for at least the rest of the regular season, with an uncertain status for the playoffs.

While he did go seek medical treatment in Spain, and isn’t expected to return to Los Angeles until Friday, it remains to be seen if that will speed up a potential recovery timeline.

According to Law Murray and Lindsey Wisniewski The Athletic, the typical recovery period for a grade 2 hamstring strain, at least for other NBA players, is roughly three to six weeks, with a high chance of re-injury.

“Recent NBA history offers more reason for Dončić and the Lakers to be discouraged instead of optimistic. Around the league, comparable injuries have followed a pattern: initial absences in the three- to six-week range, followed by a heightened risk of reinjury,” they wrote.

Players like Peyton Watson, Aaron Gordon, and Jalen Williams all missed at least three weeks and re-injured their hamstrings, putting them out for more than 40 days each.

Additionally, Dave McMenamin of ESPN first reported that ‘a Grade 2 strain typically involves a monthlong recovery.’ He most recently added that, as The Athletic reported, the chance of re-injuring the hamstring strain remains high.

“His left hamstring had previously sidelined him for four games leading into the All-Star break, and it’s the type of injury with a high risk of reoccurrence,” he wrote.

Redick reiterated that both Doncic and Reaves are ‘out indefinitely‘ and won’t be re-evaluated until next week.

“And as they prepare for it, sources told ESPN they have no expectation of having either Doncic or Reaves back at any point in the first round,” McMenamin added. “But they also have not completely ruled out the possibility of one or both of them becoming available the longer the series lasts.”

So, Can Luka Doncic Come Back Before The Lakers vs Rockets Playoff Series?

Doncic did go to Spain for additional treatment, and assuming that helped, there is hope that it will speed up his recovery.

So, given the previous timelines of other players, and McMenamin saying that a month is a typical amount of time to be sidelined from a hamstring strain, could Doncic come back during the Lakers vs Rockets playoff series?

Doncic suffered his strain on April 2, and assuming he is out a month, that would give him the potential return timeline of early May. The Lakers did get lucky that their playoff series features more rest than almost any other series in the first round, but based on that timeline, it could still be a stretch to see the Slovenian come back.

However, Los Angeles will be playing a potential Game 6 on May 1 and Game 7 on May 3, so if they can extend the series as far as possible, there remains a chance of a Doncic return.

But still, that would be a best-case scenario for the Lakers, and while Doncic appears to already be expediting his return, the chances of re-injury only grow. Just based on the timeline, it could work, but there’s a lot of ‘buts’ and ‘ifs’ that come with that.

For the Lakers to see Doncic on the court again this season, it comes down to two things: how long they can extend the series against the Rockets, and if they truly think that with him back, they can go on a deep postseason run.

If the star says he’s ready to come back and Los Angeles is down 3-0 or 3-1 in the series, that might not be worth the risk.

However, an official Doncic injury update or return timeline has yet to be given, so for the time being, the responsibility falls on LeBron James and the Lakers’ supporting cast to keep the team’s season alive, just to have a chance to get their star player, and previous MVP candidate, back.