Listen to Luka Doncic speak and you will hear just how desperately the Los Angeles Lakers superstar wants to be playing in the NBA Playoffs right now. That was the painful reality that could be caught coming from Doncic after talking with the media for the first time following the hamstring injury that has kept him out to this day.
"I don't think people understand how frustrating it is. All I wanna do is play basketball, especially [at] this time. It's the best time to play basketball. It's very frustrating seeing what my team is doing. I'm very proud of them. It's been very tough just to sit and watch them play."
Doncic just wants to help his team in the playoffs. It is do-or-die time with every game mattering more than the last. Luka has been forced into a restrictive role of being a sideline supporter and nothing more. It has to be especially difficult on a guy who knows he can swing basketball games all by himself.
Lakers need to do the unthinkable to pave the way for Luka Doncic return
If the Lakers want to make Doncic's dream come true and let him come in and bolster them, they will need to help themselves first. In his first time speaking with the media since the injury, Luka also revealed the original timetable that was given to him for his return.
Most were anticipating four to six weeks for a grade 2 hamstring strain. However, Doncic let everyone know that he was given an eight-week prognosis on when a return to the lineup would be expected. That still puts him several weeks away from a potential debut.
Effectively, that means the Lakers would need to get past the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder without their franchise superstar.
Hypothetically, should that happen, they may even need to manage against the San Antonio Spurs or Minnesota Timberwolves without Doncic to some capacity. The prospects of both those situations are unfavorable for the Lakers.
Los Angeles did a fine job stepping up and taking down the Houston Rockets in the first round, but the remaining competitors on their path are much tougher outs. Even with LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, and others elevating their play, Doncic's presence is still openly missed.
The Slovenian superstar has done his best to speed up that return. Doncic's trip to Spain for PRP treatments indicated a clear desire to get back on the court as soon as possible.
In his words, Luka has been doing everything he can and the things he's supposed to for a return to be possible. For that effort to not be wasted, the Lakers will need to help him by winning on their own while Doncic remains limited to his role as vocal support on the bench.
Add us as a preferred source on Google