Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain during an Apr. 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The immediate revelation was that he'd miss the remainder of the regular season, with many hypothesizing that he could be sidelined for at least part of the playoffs, as well.
Doncic ultimately opted to go to Europe for treatment on the injury, and less than two weeks later, is reportedly preparing to return to Los Angeles.
The Lakers will face the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday, Apr. 18. The general expectation has been that Doncic would miss Game 1 given the optimistic return timetable of three-to-four weeks after the initial injury—which would likely lead to him missing at least the first two games of the series.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Doncic will be returning from Europe on Friday, Apr. 17—thus suggesting that his treatment is coming to an end.
The Lakers’ Luka Dončić, I’m told, is scheduled to rejoin the team in Los Angeles on Friday in advance of the Lakers’ first-round series against Houston after his recent trip to Madrid for treatment of his Grade 2 hamstring strain.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 13, 2026
Shams Charania of ESPN has reported that the Lakers will reevaluate Doncic once he arrives, though it remains unclear how quickly he'll be able to return to action.
On Lakers star Luka Doncic’s impending return to the U.S. after treatments in Spain for NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/ZWWSelaZ5L
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 13, 2026
Though it isn't a confirmation of Doncic's availability, Charania and Stein's respective reports offer ample reason for optimism in regard to his ability to return sooner than expected.
Luka Doncic returning from Europe a day before Lakers-Rockets Game 1
Doncic has been nothing short of revelatory during the 2025-26 season. He averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 4.0 three-point field goals made, shooting with impressive efficiency relative to his volume at a clip of .476/.366/.780.
Doncic led the NBA in scoring, was third in assists, and, had he met the minimum standard of 65 games played, would've been a virtual lock for All-NBA First Team recognition.
More importantly, Doncic is the Lakers' go-to player as both a scorer and a facilitator. He led the team in both points and assists per game, as well as usage rate, and is trusted to operate as the proverbial hub on the offensive end of the floor.
Without Doncic, the Lakers effectively lose their offensive identity as a team and are tasked with playing through players who don't often factor into the highest levels of the offensive game plan.
The good news is that four-time NBA champion and four-time Finals MVP LeBron James is still present to lead the charge. Unfortunately, Austin Reaves is dealing with an injury of his own and could thus be sidelined until May, per Charania's aforementioned report.
Thankfully, Doncic is soon to return from Europe and could thus alleviate the pressure that injuries have placed on the Lakers to dig deep and find diamonds in the rough.
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