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HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 24: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on April 24, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)

Round one, not done for the once cruising, prancing Los Angeles Lakers, now suddenly teetering.

Once up 3-0 in their first round series against the Houston Rockets, the next round felt imminent. 

Getting star guard Austin Reaves back in the lineup for Game 5 at home, the next round felt inevitable.

Two straight games, two consecutive failures. Now the question becomes: Well, now what? 

 The Lakers have already fallen on the bad side of history after losing Game 5. The home loss allowed the Rockets to become just the 16th team ever to force a Game 6 after going down 0-3. 

Yikes. 

L.A. had its predictable — and sometimes painfully habitual — defensive lapses and stretches of awful shooting. That’s ultimately what allowed the Rockets to assemble a double-digit lead on the road. 

Now the Rockets are headed back home for a Game 6 … with all the pressure perched to the shoulders of the wobbling Lakers. 

Reaves is back, but the forgettable Game 5 loss suddenly puts Luka Doncic under an even hotter microscope. 

Can he somehow suit up for just one first round game so the Lakers can avoid a potential disaster? 

Perhaps a lot of Lakers fans are thinking that this morning.

Luka Doncic: Back Soon?

Sure, but “soon” just isn’t going to cut it for a team that has lost two in a row and is in danger of losing a Game 6 on the road. 

GettyLuka Doncic may not play against the Thunder in the next round if the Lakers advance.

Better hope that seven-footer, lately seen in a beanie and a hoodie on the bench, doesn’t start playing again. Or it’s trouble.

Just when it felt like the Lakers could look ahead to the daunting task of facing the defending champs, they have to refocus on the Rockets, who are playing more relaxed, carefree, with a sense of cool as the games go by. 

With the Lakers suddenly facing some real pressure, it adds weight to the anticipation around Doncic’s return. The 27-year-old Los Angeles star has been sidelined the last 28 days with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Reports from earlier this week effectively squashed any hope Doncic would return in time for a potential Game 1 of the second round, but not all is bad. 

According to the California Post, Doncic has begun his return-to-play protocol and is awaiting the next step, the first step that is, in making his eventual comeback.

“A biological boundary to return to sports, and for athletes like Doncic, whose game is defined by quick and sudden stops and starts, recovery can take even longer,” the Post wrote. “Despite that, Doncic has begun his return-to-play protocol and is slowly ramping back up on the court. Doncic has taken an aggressive approach to his recovery, even by superstar standards. After suffering the injury, he took a trip to Spain for advanced treatment hoping to expedite the recovery process. During the Lakers first round series against the Rockets, Doncic was able to ease back into shooting and controlled movement on the court.”

It’s Starting to Feel Like…

Doncic will meet the late end of the 3-6 week return timeline that was floated by several credible sources. 

He has begun the fourth week of his recovery, but considering recent reports, Doncic’s hamstring will not even be close to 100% by Game 1 of the second round — if the Lakers are able to get there.

Doncic may not even be ready at the midway point or the entire first round, believe it or not. Although it would perhaps take a significant setback for Doncic not to appear at all in round two against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Again, if the Lakers get there.

L.A. has Reaves as a failsafe in the meantime, though his performance wasn’t all that encouraging last night. But it was his first game back after four weeks. We’ll cut him some slack.

But for Doncic, the clock is starting to race.