The Angeles Lakers advanced to the next stage of the playoffs after eliminating the Houston Rockets, but the outlook is not completely favorable on the face to the semifinal of the Western Conference. Luka Doncic's physical situation keeps the team on alert, since his return to the court doesn't seem imminent.

The Slovenian point guard continues in the process of recovery due to a grade 2 strain in the hamstring tendon, injury suffered on 2 April during a match against Oklahoma City Thunder. Exactly one month from that episode, his evolution continues to be slow and without significant advances in his workload.

According to ESPN journalist Brian Windhorst , the player still isn't close to returning. “I have no idea how Luka will be in 14 days, but the most likely is that we won't see it at the beginning of this series, maybe at least for another week or ten days at least,” he explained.

That diagnosis coincides with his current state, since Doncic hasn't even started three-on-three training, a key stage before receiving medical clearance to compete. The estimated recovery time for this type of injury varies between three and eight weeks, depending on the severity.

Lakers adjust their strategy without their main figure

The schedule offers some margin. The series against Oklahoma City Thunder will begin with some rest days beforehand, which could play in the proceed's favor rehabilitation. If it is extended to a seventh match, scheduled for May 18, the total period since the injury would exceed six weeks.

During the regular season, Doncic was the offensive reference of the Angela team. He averaged 33.5 points and 8.3 assists in 64 games c as headline, figures that reflect his weight within the system. His absence obliges to modify the team's approach at a decisive instance.

In this context, figures like LeBron James and Austin Reaves take a greater protagonism. The latter already returned to activity in the previous series, l after missing four weeks due to an oblique injury, which represented an important reinforcement for the team in the final stretch against Houston.

This is not the first time that Doncic faces a similar scenario in the postseason. In the 2021-22 campaign, he missed the first The three games of the first-round series with Dallas Mavericks facing Utah Jazz due to a calf injury.

Meanwhile, the immediate challenge is nothing less. Oklahoma City dominated the head-to-head matchups during the regular season, winning all four games, three of them by margins greater than 29 points.

The Lakers will have to compete without their main game generator, at at least in the start of the series, while the medical team evaluates the Slovenian's evolution.